FREDERIC FRANS was born in early January, which makes him a Capricorn.
The story of how this centre-back was fated to become the first Belgian to play for Partick Thistle begins at Lierse, the team where he had spent half a lifetime. "I played in the same club since I was five years old, I was there for 20 years," Frans says.
His moving through the ranks coincided with a similar rise through the age groups for the national side, starting in defence alongside Toby Alderweireld, now of Southampton. "Eden [Hazard] played with us as well," he says. "He's three years younger but he was too good for his own age. [Christian] Benteke as well."
By the time he left Lierse, he had captained the side around 75 times. But things had taken a turn for the worse. "We had a new Egyptian president," he explains. "He offered me a new three-year deal but there were many things wrong with it … he brought in eight or nine Egyptian players, an Egyptian manager.
"It was my hometown club, but it didn't feel like home," he sighs. "So I said 'No, I want to wait and see what happens', but the owner was a little bit crazy, said I couldn't play. So I told my agent I didn't want to stay in Belgium and to look abroad."
"It was difficult because I loved it there. I had a good bond with supporters and I was happy. It was strange, but on the other hand, 25 is a good age to try something new. If you are at the same club for too long everyone knows you. If you have a bad day at training, they think 'oh, Freddie will do all right at the weekend' but now you have to be on your toes and it's good to keep your level up."
His agent arranged a trial at Leeds United, and after Frans had played two games Dave Hockaday, then-manager, was keen to sign him up. An offer had been accepted in principle; Frans phoned home and told his wife the happy news. She quit her job and starting packing for Yorkshire. Frans started to get suspicious, though, when two Italian centre-backs signed before the deal had been closed.
Massimo Cellino, the Leeds owner, has a reputation, and it's colourful. The news had been circling that Paddy Kenny, the goalkeeper, was left out of the squad and was refused a new contract because his birthday was on May 17. Seventeen is Cellino's unlucky number. The Italian's old club, Cagliari, had never won on the 17th. He also hates the colour purple.
And as Frans and his agent were processing the paperwork, some of the demands seemed a little odd. "I had to give them my star sign … all these things," he says with a puzzled look. "Crazy."
Leeds were knocked out of the Capital One Cup by Brentford, Hockaday was sacked and the deal fell through. His wife was left stranded in Belgium with no work.
Perhaps Jupiter was rising at the wrong angle, or Mars was too far below the moon, but the planets had not aligned for Frans. Luckily for him, the folks at Partick Thistle have no such superstitions.
If a horoscope section was put in front of Alan Archibald, he would probably set it alight with a glare.
Frans is philosophical about the move north, though he still shivers out in the cold. He'll get used to it.
"At Thistle, it's nice," he says. "It's not so crazy here. It's a small club but everyone knows what they are doing. At Leeds, they had money but it was still s***. After training, there was no food, things like that. Here everything is done properly."
Frans is chirpy, and eloquent. He was quick, too, to offer insight on how Belgium's star has risen so quickly. "They stopped worrying about their results," he says, simply.
"When I was 10 or 11, my teams used to go and play against the big teams like Anderlecht and beat them, because they were playing football the way it should be played. By the time they got to 16 they were battering us."
He leans in. "You know what?" he says. "Some of the young players now might be even better than the current group. There are brilliant players you haven't even heard of."
As for today's match up at Tannadice? A quick glance at Frans' horoscope for tomorrow reads: "At work, demand for your expertise could increase . . ."
A Thistle debut appears to be written in the stars.
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