Top match in Kozoom league, interview Carl Verhoeven

UDEN - The top team in the Dutch three cushion league, the team of SIS Schoonmaak and Carl Verhoeven, travel to Oosterhout this Sunday for the top match against Team Eekhoorn, the number one for now. The ambitions in SIS, which launched its project in 2017 and then achieved nothing but successes in the Netherlands, are undiminished. Yet, Carl Verhoeven also wants to confess that he is worried about the future of his billiard center and top team. ,,Things are not going so well financiallybecause the center is not bringing what we expected. We’re  getting fewer spectators and we have too few members. I want to give it all this year to turn the tide. And whether I succeed, time will tell.''

The turnaround in plans and budget includes the fact that Dick Jaspers is unlikely to play this year. The team consists of the regular line-up with Eddy Merckx, Jean van Erp, Raimond Burgman, Raimund Swertz, Martien van der Spoel and, as substitutes, Tom Löwe and Toine Dekkers. This Sunday, in the encounter with Team Eekhoorn, first place in the Kozoom league is at stake. And when Team Eekhoorn is playing with Nikos Polychronopoulos as its leading man, the opponent is not Dick Jaspers, but Eddy Merckx, the last World Cup winner in South Korea. Carl Verhoeven: ’’I personally wanted to put in Jaspers more, but that is not fair to the other players, who also have less income in different competitions and with our team than in previous years.''

Many high costs and too low returns with the billiard center have forced Carl Verhoeven's philosophy to adjust slightly. ''We have too few members, too few spectators and a few sponsors have dropped out. The costs for the premier league and first division team weigh heavily on the budget. Therefore, for this season, we have decided to change our objectives slightly.''

''Don't forget'', the team sponsor nevertheless says, ''that we have all lived up to our expectations since the start. We’ve built a wonderful venue in Uden, one of the nicest in Europe. When I launched this, I read from someone who writes billiards articles in the margins, that another Charlatan was emerging in billiards. He never came to tell me he was wrong. Three times national champion, finished first all years, twice the cup win, and once second in the Coupe d'Europe. These are successes that count in international billiards. And no doubt we will be competing for the title again this year.''

Carl Verhoven also confesses: ’’I have to look at myself and my family. I am working about 100 hours a week for my company, SIS Schoonmaak, and for billiards. With one, I earn money, with the other I spend the money again. I feel to myself lately, that I don’t like to go to the centre every now and then. We have invested a lot, for now I only see decline. So we are facing a difficult choice for the future. My wife Astrid and I also have to think about our health.''

On the other hand, Carl Verhoeven makes clear, that it is nice that the tension is back in the Kozoom league. ''Among the top six teams, the difference is not so big anymore. We are not the top favorite this Sunday against Team Eekhoorn and also in the next game against Cues&Darts, which comes to us at full strength. Nice all for the league.''

Carl Verhoeven

This Sunday play the numbers 1 against 2 end numbers 3 against 4 for the top positions.

The schedule for this weekend, Sunday 19 November, round 8 in Kozoom league.

Team Eekhoorn-SIS Schoonmaak

Nikos Polychronopoulos-Eddy Merckx

Peter Ceulemans-Jean van Erp

Frans van Kuyk-Raymund Swertz

Jerry Hermans-Martien van der Spoel

Cues&Darts/Xtreme-STZ Zundert

Pierre Soumagne-Thorsten Frings

Huub Wilkowski-Sam van Etten

Volkan Cetin-Francis Forton

Jack van Peer-Rik van Beers

Burgmans Biljarts-Dekker/APSprundel

Anno de Kleine-Dave Christiani

Bart Ceulemans-Barry van Beers

Marco Janssen-Gerwin Valentijn

Johan Roijers-Henk Blauwblomme

Bousema/JBScues-DKM Tools

Jeffrey Jorissen-Dion Nelin

Johan Loncelle-Davy van Havere

Stefan Galla-Ronny Lindemann

Frans van Schaik-Jack Wijnen

J&F Auto’s/New Jorissen-Dallinga.com

Murat Gökmen-Jean Paul de Bruijn

Kay de Zwart-Steven van Acker

Joey de Kok-Peter De Backer

Herman van Daalen-Berry Dallinga 

Aartsbouw Sprundel-Team Nachtwacht

Ronny Brants-Erwin Kivits

Dirk Weeremans-Harrie van de Ven

Tom Persyn-Frank Martens

Ad Broeders-Frits Broeders