Manu Ferrera

As a player

He started playing football at Crossing Schaerbeek, the team in which he made his debut in the 70s. The attacker left the Third Division team in the 1980/81 season to move to Second Division team Eendracht Aalst. Over there, he played in 1984 together with Tjapko Teuben. The Dutchman, who was on loan from Club Bruges, got an offer from the Japanese team Mazda SC. Ferrera followed him and went also to Hiroshima in 1985. Due to injuries he did not play much. In 1987, he finished his career as a player in the team of Liedkerke.

As a trainer

Ferrera, who got an education as a physiotherapist in the early 90s. Afterwards, Ferrera trained JS Racour, a team from the second provincial series in Belgium. After this, he worked briefly as a representative of the sports brand Puma. In 1992, he became a youth trainer at RFC Seraing, where he worked himself up very quickly. Firstly, he was the trainer-assistant of Georges Heylens, subsequently he became the head coach himself. During the 1995/96 season, he replaced coach Jean Thissen after the first match. After the season, Seraing was taken over by the neighbouring Standard de Liège, which made Ferrera move to RSC Anderlecht, where he worked as a youth trainer and scout. He worked closely together in that period with players such as Oleg Iachtchouk, Mark De Man, Tom Soetaers, Xavier Chen, and Olivier Deschacht. In 2000, Enzo Scifo wanted to investigate in Sporting Charleroi. The former Gouden Schoen did not…

Manu Ferrera was born in the Spanish village El Cerro de Andévalo, but he moved in 1962 to Schaarbeek with his family. His brothers, Emilio and Francisco Ferrera, and his nephew Yannick, are all footballing coaches in Belgium.