The Dutch premier three-cushion league, named DKM Tools League, will start in the most obvious case with the first competition round within just over one month. Twelve teams had signed up this weekend before the closing hour, Saturday night at 24.00 o'clock. The schedule has not yet been made and is expected in about two weeks. KNBB section chairman Paul Brekelmans: ''We wait for the new COVID-19 measures, which have been announced for tomorrow, Monday.'' The scheduled start of the league is in the first week of September, as in previous years (Sunday, September 5 in the best case), but the KNBB will decide in the next two weeks. About 140 teams have registered for the Cup competition.
The transfer period has been used by a number of teams to bring in new, big names. The Dutch competition can prepare for a high quality season, with many top players from the home land and abroad. SIS Schoonmaak is the undisputed contender for the title with Dick Jaspers and Eddy Merckx as the frontrunners. The most expected competition comes from Bousema Lochem, Dallinga, BV Jorissen and Dekker Keukens.
Much depends on the availability of players who also perform in other, foreign leagues or have PBA commitments in South Korea. That goes for instance for Belgian Eddy Leppens, who has been signed up as a substitute for Aartsbouw Sprundel, and Glenn Hofman, scheduled as the leading player for 't Hartje van Oosterhout, but both will not be in Europe for many months in this season.
What to say about BC Bousema, who has Murat Naci Coklu and Martin Horn on the player list and in theory a team for a high position. Cues&Darts has Robinson Morales, Ruben Legazpi and Pierre Soumagne in the selection. DKM Tools has signed up with Jérémy Bury, Birol Uymaz and Dion Nelin. Wim de Kok, the new team captain, however admits: ''Those players have been on the players' list for three years, but have not played a single second.''
Carl Verhoeven wants to finally realize the ambitions with his top team in the new billiard hall with SIS Schoonmaak. Jaspers and Merckx come to the tables as often as possible. The team further consists of Raimond Burgman, Jean van Erp, Martien van der Spoel and Raymund Swertz.
Most striking Dutch players for the coming season in the other teams?
Jean Paul de Bruijn returns permanently as a regular player for Dallinga after his short adventure in the PBA competition.
Dave Christiani will start as frontman for A1/DPC/De Kuul, the team that has moved to Huissen.
Ad Koorevaar, Gerwin Valentijn and John Tijssens are the three strong values in the team Dekker Keukens.
Sam van Etten, who has made a remarkable progression in this discipline, is a main player in the Zundert team.
Ludo Kools, the sensational Master, gets a permanent place in the team Aartsbouw Sprundel.
Frans van Kuyk is the leader again in the team De Eekhoorn.
Joey de Kok as one of the youngest players in the premier league, is a permanent player in the DKM Tools team where his father Wim de Kok is the team leader.
Jeffrey Jorissen, Barry van Beers and Therese Klompenhouwer are the fixed top three in the team BV Jorissen.
Paul Brekelmans about the starting date: ''First we have to consider the indication of the blockade days of the premier league teams, so that could take another two weeks. We will only make final decisions when all registrations have been processed in the coming days.''
The full compositions of the teams:
A1/DPC/De Kuul, Huissen:
Dave Christiani, Michael Nilsson, Jelle Pijl, Richard Bitalis, Kay de Zwart, Addy Wienk (Reserves Ronny Lindemann, Cédric Melnytschenko, Rudy de Laet).
Dallinga, Sluiskil:
Jean Paul de Bruijn, Peter De Backer, Allan Schröder, Steven van Acker, Berry Dallinga (Reserves: Raymond en Bart Ceulemans, Koen Saver, Marco Janssen, Jean Paul de Kraker).
Bousema Lochem:
Murat Naci Coklu, Martin Horn, Johan Loncelle, Gökhan Salman, Stefan Galla, Markus Galla, Anno de Kleine, Frans van Schaik (Reserves Sander Jonen, Stefan Lenting).
't Hartje van Oosterhout:
Glenn Hofman, Ismail Yasin, Davy van Haevere, Martin Spoormans, Harrie van de Ven, Savas Bulut (Reserves Ludo Dielis, Ad Broeders).
Cues&Darts/Apollo, Tilburg
Robinson Morales, Ruben Legazpi, Pierre Soumagne, Jack van Peer, Wesley de Jaeger, Huub Wilkowski (Reserves: Dustin Jaschke, Jef Philipoom, Volkan Cetin, Stef van Hees).
Dekker Keukens, 't Tapperijke, Hoeven:
Ad Koorevaaar, Gerwin Valentijn, John Tijssens, Henk Blauwblomme, Paul Bruijstens, Richard Dekker, Bert Hoefnagels, Jordi de Kruijf, André van Straaten, Hans van der Wurf.
SIS Schoonmaak:
Dick Jaspers, Eddy Merckx, Raimond Burgman, Jean van Erp, Raymund Swertz, Martien van der Spoel.
Stichting Topbiljart Zundert:
Roland Forthomme, Francis Forton, Rik van Beers, Thorsten Frings, Sam van Etten (Reserves: Nikos Polychronopoulos, Frédéric Mottet, Danny Geysen, Lennart Schrauwen.
Aartsbouw Sprundel:
Eddy Leppens, Dirk Weeremans, Ludo Kools, Ronny Brants, Christian Rudolph, Martin Ravestyn, Andy de Bondt, Tom Persijn.
BV Jorissen, Den Haag:
Jeffrey Jorissen, Barry van Beers, Therese Klompenhouwer, Herman van Daalen (Reserves: Jos Bongers, Wilco van Wijk, Mike Nijman, Bradley Roeten).
Team Eekhoorn, Oosterhout:
Frans van Kuyk, Peter Ceulemans, Kurt Ceulemans, Jose Maria Mas, Jerry Hermans (Reserves: Adrie Demming, Erik van Woerkom, Arie Hermans.
DKM Tools:
Jérémy Bury, Birol Uymaz, Dion Nelin, Roland Uijtdewillegen, Jack Wijnen, Joey de Kok, Eddy Willems, Cris Tellekamp (Reserve: Nick Zuijkerbuijk).