LOMMEL - The cameras are focused on the games, the billiard room wakes up for a new day, the show can start again. Frédéric Caudron is watching the room and sees that it's good. He feels good in his double role in the Superprestige in Lommel. The Belgian master of billiards is also organizer of the tournament this week, together with his friend Eddy Leppens. They both have eye for detail and perfection. Tomorrow Caudron will start himself in the final preliminary round group with Jef Philipoom, Ronny Brants and Peter Ceulemans.
He made a great start in the Dutch league with the team of Frans Bevers last Sunday with a win against Martin Spoormans and 2.500 average. The form is very good, Next Monday he start a new challenge in Belgium, with a new team, but these days Caudron focuses on the Superprestige in Lommel.
Frits Bakker: In the Dutch league you are with your new team the big favorite for the title, in Belgium in the second division promotion to the highest class is a must.
Frédéric Caudron: ,,Yes, you can speak about new challenges, indeed, particularly in the Netherlands. I had a nice time for many years with Crystal Kelly, the atmosphere was good, no pressure, much fun and great people. I expect the same in Sluiskil. I know the people there and I know what they have done for billiard sport already for years. What the Belgian league is concerned, we do not anticipate on the high expectations. There are some other teams in the second division who aspire to promote.''
FB: Do you feel any pressure, for instance in the Netherlands where they expect that you and your team will take over the role of the previous champion with Jaspers, Horn, Van Erp and Blomdahl?
FC: ,,I don't want to speak about pressure. The competition has just begun. We know that we can play for the title, of course, but we stand on the ground with two (or let's say eight) feet. The competition is very long, there are many strong teams and there are the playoffs at the end. So it takes a long time ...''
FB: Do you have your own opinion about the conflict with the team of Dick Jaspers and the Dutch federation? I mean, what do you think about the playoffs system?
FC: ,,I will not comment on what happened with Van Donge en De Roo, I actually like a competition with playoffs, but only if the league is much shorter than it is now. With eight teams in a qualifying round for instance and then play-offs with the top four. Then you can create a great event, but now it takes too long. And then you can have a situation that there is a team that has finished with five or six point on the lead and they can lose the title in the playoffs. As it is now, I think it's not so good.''
FB: What do you think, should the national competitions, including the Dutch and Belgian league, addapt to the new international rules, with shorter matches and less time on the clock?
FC: ,,We all agree that the matches take too long, so now they're going to make them shorter in caroms. The best solution is, to give players less time for a shot, then a match will be more interesting. As it is now, a match of thirty points still will take a long time.''
FB: Dick Jaspers always says, billiards is an individual sport, we need the team competition for making money, but I prefer to play individual tournaments. What do you think?
FC: ,,He's right, it would be much better actually to play more individual tournaments to earn some money. But we have no choice, so now we play in different leagues to make that money and live like professionals.''
FB: How does the new season look like for you: a new team in the Netherlands, a new team in Belgium, innovations in your personal live, since it's known that you start up a new billiards business in Oostmalle with three companions? Can you tell us about the project and the planning?
FC: ,,Yes, indeed, many changes for the new future. A new team is always good for motivation, especially with my new teammates in the Netherlands as well as in Belgium. And in Belgium we have launched a project to create a very new and special billiard accommodation. A new concept, because we want to offer billiards with dinners. Sponsors, public and friends can come to see billiards on a high level and at the same moment enjoy a diner or having some snacks and drinks during the games. From March 2012 we hope to be ready, in September we start with a team in the Belgian league. Moreover we try to organize some tournaments and events. So, it will be very exciting...''
FB: Where do you plan your peaks in the upcoming international season? Or can we say that a player on that high level has to be good all the time, every week, in every league and in every tournament?
FC: ,,I feel for myself that I had not so much bad moments in the past few years. And if I had them, I always managed to suppress them. I really want to win every match in every tournament and always do my best to win. Nothing more or nothing less! That's also my main goal for the Superprestige in Lommel where we play now.''
FB: Concerning the teams where you play in three or four countries? Which are the most important? When we speak about the European cup, it certainly will be the Agipi team in France, the team that concured the European title for the seventh time. This team seems to be unbeatable in Europe?
FC: ,,Agipi can be beaten, for sure, but no one succeeded the past seven years. There will be a time, that it will happen, of course, but now we have put a record, that makes us very proud. For some wins, we had to fight very hard, because they seemed to be better, but we showed the fiighting spirit to win them all. This year I will play all the matches in the Netherlands, in Belgium and in France, I play some matches in Germany, Spain and Portugal. So it will be a very busy and beautiful season again, I'm ready for another challenge.''