MAASTRICHT/SLUISKIL - In the upcoming weeks, Jan Kikken will end his career as manager of the Dallinga/AEJ team. The ongoing troubles with the Belgian sponsor (Marco Jansen) have made the successful manager decide to turn his back on billiards. ,,I'll be honest, I would have liked to do this for two more years in Sluiskil, but we have come to realize that they've placed their bets on the wrong horse.''
The team coach regrets all the unrest there has been with concern to the sponsor, and the uncertainty it has caused for players and organization. ,,The sponsor had the intention of supporting the team for three seasons. That did not work out. It is sad for everybody, for the sport especially. We only got suspicious halfway through, even if I've only met the sponsor in person once. But then I thought: Frans Bevers was a fantastic sponsor, and he hardly ever came to watch either.''
Jan Kikken wants to quit in style. His dream team of Frédéric Caudron, Dick Jaspers, Eddy Merckx and Jean-Paul de Bruijn will play the (Dutch) Cup final in Rijsbergen this week from Thursday, then the play-offs and the final of the Europan Cup in Istanbul. ,,I am not sure if I will be present at the Europa Cup, that is how uncertain the situation is.''
Still, he does not look back in anger, speaks of "a fantastic team and a great organization in Sluiskil". Jan Kikken thinks it is nobody's fault that things went wrong with the sponsor. ,,I just did not expect that they would so easily join up with someone who said on the first day: "Jan, they all talk about me, but don't worry, I'll make it work. In hindsight, that should have been a red flag.''
The manager from Limburg is also a lover of cycling and soccer. He found his way into the sport of billiards in 1985, and has managed many top players in his teams. With his friend Frans Bevers often as the sponsor, he manged both 3-cushion and classic discipline teams. A highlight, in his view, was the world record team average produced by the Dallinga team earlier this year. In front of the home crowd the four top players made 200 points in 77 innings, an average of 2.597. With that ability, the team is surely the big favorite for the European title, next week in Istanbul.
Before Sluiskil says goodbye to Dick Jaspers and Eddy Merckx, the team will first try to retain the Dutch Cup and the National league title. What happens then is anybody's guess. Frédéric Caudron and Jean-Paul de Bruijn have made it clear that they would like to keep playing in Sluiskil.
Jan Kikken: ,,I admire my players, for the fact that they have never let on about the unrest surrounding the sponsor. They have put in a maximum effort all season. We all had faith that it would be a three year committment. And again: I would not have called it quits in that case. I am too used to the Burgundian life to go back to making ends meet, after these wonderful years. That's why I've decided to quit, and announce that in the week of the Cup final. That way, we can all give it one last push and then leave with our heads held high.''
Jan Kikken (on the right) with the dream team he ends his career with.