Eric Van Meir

Eric Van Meir (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɛrɪk fɑn ˈmɛiər];[1] born 28 February 1968) is a former Belgian football defender, and until March 2017 was the head coach of Lierse playing in the Belgian First Division B. His former clubs include Lierse, Charleroi and Standard Liège. Van Meir also played for Belgium and was in the squad for the 1994, 1998 and 2002 World Cups and also for the Euro 2000 but played only a few matches.

Eric Van Meir
Personal information
Full name Eric Van Meir
Date of birth (1968-02-28) 28 February 1968
Place of birth Deurne, Belgium
Height 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Position(s) Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1985–1991 Berchem 124 (9)
1991–1996 Charleroi 115 (14)
1996–2001 Lierse 145 (57)
2001–2003 Standard Liège 35 (2)
National team
1993–2002 Belgium 34 (1)
Teams managed
2003–2010 Lierse (assistant)
2010–2011 Lierse
2011 Turnhout
2013 Lierse (assistant)
2013 Lierse
2014 Berchem
2014–2015 Lierse (assistant)
2015–2017 Lierse
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Van Meir won the Belgian First Division Title with Lierse in 1997, and the Belgian Cup in 1999, also with Lierse. In 1997, he scored 17 goals and won 2nd place in the Belgian Golden Shoe award.

Club football

Van Meir played in his career for Hoboken SK, Berchem Sport, Sporting Charleroi, Lierse SK and Standard Liège, enjoying the most successful spell in his career at Lierse, winning the Belgian League in 1997, the Belgian Cup in 1999 and the Belgian Supercup in 1997 and 1999. He also finished second in 1997 in the Golden Boot voting behind Pär Zetterberg.

He also played several times in European club football, including the Champions League in season 1997–98.

Meir scored exceptionally high for a defender. He was in top scorer for his club in 1997, 1998 and 2000.

At the 100-year anniversary of Lierse in 2006, Van Meir was elected by supporters as a player in the "Lierse team of the century".

International football

Van Meir played for the Belgium national football team for almost ten years. He attended three World Cups (1994, 1998, 2002) and one European Championship (2000), but each time he only played a few matches. In total he won 35 caps for the national team.

Coaching

Following his retirement as a player in 2003, Van Meir was appointed an assistant coach at Lierse SK. Following the dismissal of Aimé Anthuenis in September 2010 in the club's first season back in the Belgian First Division, Van Meir took over as head coach of the club, assisted by Chris Janssens, but was replaced in the beginning of 2011 by Trond Sollied.

Honours

Club

Lierse SK[2]

Belgium

References
  1. In isolation, van is pronounced [vɑn].
  2. "Palmares Belgische landstitels | De Morgen".
  3. FIFA.com. "Belgium honoured with the FIFA Fair Play Award". www.fifa.com. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
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