NIEUWEGEIN - The premier three-cushion league in Holland, named after the main sponsor DKM Tools league, gets a world-class line-up in the twelve teams for this year. Following the player lists, ten of the twelve leading players are of foreign origin. The most notable world class players: Dick Jaspers, Dani Sánchez, Eddy Merckx, Frédéric Caudron, Tayfun Tasdemir and Martin Horn. The season starts on Sunday 11 September with a full competition that will be decided at the end by play-offs with the top four teams. The first double weekend is on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 October.
The best-known newcomers include Frédéric Caudron, who is listed as Dallinga's frontman, but will only play a few matches due to his performances in South Korea. Also in the Dutch league next season Dani Sánchez, good for five games with SIS Schoonmaak, Glenn Hofman, back from his two-year stint in the PBA competition, the Turkish brothers Omer and Berkay Karakurt, playing for Cues&Darts and Woonwonder Oosterhout and Sergio Jimenez, the Spaniard who shone during the last Coupe d'Europe in Porto.
The DKM Tools league consists of 22 rounds, with 11 home and 11 away games for all teams. The defending champion is SIS Schoonmaak, that won the final of the play-offs against Bousema Lochem. The new teams coming from the second division are Burgmans Biljarts and Post Luchtkanalen.
In the battle for the championship at the end, after the regular competition, the number four of the league table first is facing the number three in a home game for the number three. The winner will visit the number 2 on the ranking list, again in one game, and the winner will play the number 1 on the ranking list in a 'best of 3'. The number 1 plays the second match at home and in case of a tie after two matches, the number 1 is also the home team for the deciding match.
All matches are played on Sunday starting 13.00 o'clock and in case of a double weekend on Saturday.
The line-ups of the Dutch teams and the news:
SIS Cleaning
SIS Billiards Center, Uden
Team leader: Jan van de Vorle
Dick Jaspers has indicated to play less matches in competitions and will therefore certainly not play enough matches to be part of the team in the play-offs. Dani Sánchez is new in the team, also for a limited number of matches. The SIS team came back with bad memories from the European Cup for teams, but will certainly not be able to have Dick Jaspers and Dani Sánchez, the leaders of FC Porto, at their disposal in a possible next appearance.
SIS Schoonmaak:
Dick Jaspers
Eddy Merckx
Dani Sánchez
Jean van Erp
Raimond Burgman
Martien van der Spoel
Raymund Swertz
Tom Löwe
Toine Dekkers
The frontrunner in the SIS team will play less matches, Eddy Merckx and Dani Sánchez are the other world top players in the team
Bousema Lochem/JBScues
Café Bousema, Lochem
Team leader: Ronny Hazewinkel
German team captain Martin Horn will play at least 12 matches, Gökhan Salman will be seen in the line-up more often. Murat Naci Coklu is coming for a limited number of matches. The German Simon Blondeel is new in the selection as a reserve. Johan Loncelle, one of the most important players last year, has decided to stay with the team after earlier rumours.
Bousema Lochem:
Martin Horn
Murat Naci Coklu
Johan Loncelle
Gökhan Salman
Stefan Galla
Frans van Schaik
Sander Jonen
Markus Galla
Stefan Lenting
Simon Blondeel
Cues&Darts/Xtreme
Cues&Darts, Tilburg
Team captain Monique Wilkowski
The Cues&Darts/Xtreme team wants to have another go at the play-offs with Omer Karakurt as a new foreigner and Ruben Legazpi and Robinson Morales playing important matches in the strongest line-up. Monique Wilkowski, the team manager, has secured Turkish super talent Burak Hashas for the second team to gain experience and move on next season.
Cues&Darts:
Ruben Legazpi
Robinson Morales
Jef Philipoom
Omer Karakurt
Pierre Soumagne
Jack van Peer
Huub Wilkowski
Wesley de Jaeger
Volkan Cetin
Nick Zuijkerbuijk
Ruben Legazpi, an important player for the Cues&Darts team
Dallinga.com, Sluiskil
HCR Dallinga
Team leader: Berry Dallinga
The 'Zeeuwse' line-up depends on the Korean obligations of Frédéric Caudron, who will occasionally appear as frontrunner with his former PBA colleague Jean Paul de Bruijn. Raymond Ceulemans, the all time legend, will be deployed from time to time. Peter De Backer, Steven van Acker and Allan Schroder form a strong foreign block in the team. The Dutch junior champion Joris van 't Zelfden is new in the selection.
Dallinga.com:
Frédéric Caudron
Jean Paul de Bruijn
Peter De Backer
Allan Schröder
Steven van Acker
Raymond Ceulemans
Berry Dallinga
Koen Saver
Jean Paul de Kraker
Joris van 't Zelfden
Frédéric Caudron, back for a few matches in the Dallinga team
J&F/New Jorissen
BC Jorissen, Den Haag
Team leader Cor Trampe
Glenn Hofman returned from his short adventure in the PBA league. Jeffrey Jorissen remains the frontrunner in the J&F team, that in its strongest line-up shows up with Therese Klompenhouwer en young, new player Joey de Kok, the former junior champion, who will play in the World Cups as well. Barry van Beers has left the Hague team.
J&F:
Jeffrey Jorissen
Glenn Hofman
Therese Klompenhouwer
Paul Bruijstens
Jos Bongers
Joey de Kok
Herman van Daalen
Mike Nijman
Bradley Roeten
Cor Trampe
Glenn Hofman, back in The Hague after his short adventure in the PBA league
A1 Billiards/DPC
Apeldoorns Biljart Centrum
Team leader: Addy Wienk
The team that returned to Apeldoorns Biljart Centrum was able to add Spaniard Sergio Jimenez to the selection. Javier Palazón is listed as head man, depending on his availability, Michael Nilsson will play a number of matches, Ronny Lindemann and Cengiz Karaca are also new in the selection.
A1 Biljarts/DPC:
Javier Palazón
Michael Nilsson
Sergio Jimenez
Ronny Lindemann
Cengiz Karaca
Jelle Arrow
Richard Bitalis
Kay de Zwart
Rudy de Laet
Addy Wienk
Team De Eekhoorn
Camping De Eekhoorn, Oosterhout
Team leader: Jerry Hermans
Peter Ceulemans is the new frontman in the team, Frans van Kuyk will play on position 2 in the Oosterhout team, where the team boss Jerry Hermans, as the winner of the last Grand Prix, deserves a new status. Birol Uymaz is one of the PBA players who will occasionally join the Dutch league.
Team Eekhoorn:
Birol Uymaz
Peter Ceulemans
Frans van Kuyk
Jose Maria Mas
Kurt Ceulemans
Jerry Hermans
Adrie Demming
Erik van Woerkom
Arie Hermans
Topbiljart Zundert
BC Den Hoek, Zundert
Team leader: Hans Snellen
The newcomer in Zundert is Roland Uijtdewillegen, who wants to keep playing in the premier league after the relegation of DKM Tools and is listed as a reserve in Zundert. Roland Forthomme is usually the leader of the team, Nikos Polychronopoulos comes over from Greece now and then to make the team stronger.
Topbiljart Zundert:
Nikos Polychronopoulos
Roland Forthomme
Thorsten Frings
Roland Uijtdewillegen
Francis Forton
Sam van Etten
Rik van Beers
Frédéric Mottet
Danny Geysen
Lennart Schrauwen.
Dekker Keukens/AP Sprundel
De Drie Zwaantjes, Sprundel
Team leader Jeroen Hoogwerf
Dave Christiani and Barry van Beers are the striking new additions to Dekker Keukens, which is with Gerwin Valentijn and in the strongest line-up with Tayfun Tasdemir a feared outsider for all opponents.
Dekker Keukens:
Tayfun Tasdemir
Dave Christiani
Barry van Beers
Gerwin Valentine
Henk Blauwblomme
John Roovers
Richard Dekker
Jordy de Kruijf
Bert Hoefnagels
Andre van Straaten
Hans van der Wurf
Tayfun Tasdemir, the aimiable Turkish player in the Dekker team
Woonwonder Oosterhout/'t Hartje
BC 't Hartje from Oosterhout
Team leader: Frits Broeders
With Berkay Karakurt and Carlos Crespo, Woonwonder Oosterhout (new sponsor for 't Hartje) has a team that wants to play close to the sub top. The young Turk occasionally comes with his brother Omer (Cues&Darts) for matches in the Netherlands. Carlos Crespo is an established name in the Spanish billiard world. Harrie van de Ven, Frank Martens and Martin Spoormans remain the familiar names.
Woonwonder Oosterhout:
Berkay Karakurt
Carlos Crespo
Ismail Yasin
Erwin Kivits
Harrie van de Ven
Frank Martens
Martin Spoormans
Ludo Dielis
Frits Broeders
Ivan Stitschinsky
Post Luchtkanalen/De Hazelaar
De Hazelaar, Rosmalen
Team leader: Rinus Persons
The team of Post Luchtkanalen, with the team that was promoted, will enter the adventure in the premier league. It will be a challenge to compete at the highest level.
Post Luchtkanalen:
Leslie van Neyen
Marc Celen
Erwin Hens
Menno de Vries
Huub Adriaanse
Wilco van Wijk
Gert Jan Esvelt
Eric Aerts
Gert Swinkels
Burgmans Biljarts
Cafe De Gouden Leeuw, Bergeyk
Team leader: Johan Royers
Davy van Havere came over from 't Hartje to the Burgmans team, where he will play occasionally as a reserve. Eddy Leppens wants to show up as much as possible when he is in Europe in the intervals of the PBA tournaments. Anno de Kleine and Andy de Bondt are the striking new names.
Eddy Leppens
Davy van Havere
Anno de Kleine
Marco Janssen
Bart Ceulemans
Stef van Hees
Maarten Janssen
Andy de Bondt
Johan Roijers