After the memorable championship of ACV, last Saturday in Harderwijk, two more beautiful football parties in Drenthe threaten, when Hoogeveen (on Sunday) and WKE’16 (on Whit Monday) become champions. But if you’re lucky, Pelikaan S or Oranje Nassau will also run the polonaise. And will Velocitas use the third match point on the title or will Marum take the championship?
Hoogeveen is champion of the fourth division A on Sunday with a win in Leidschendam over RKAVV. A draw is most likely also sufficient, because in that case Purmersteijn, the only attacker Hoogeveen has left, must win 11-0 against another top team from the fourth division, SJC in Noordwijk, to pass Hoogeveen. ,,I don’t think that will happen”, Haak looks ahead.
RKAVV no longer a title candidate
RKAVV is one of the top teams of the fourth division A. The team from Leidschendam was in the lead for a long time, but lost its title chances last weekend with a draw at VOC (1-1). Hoogeveen starts the challenge in Leidschendam with a complete selection. Levon van Dijk can play again, but starts on the bench. ,,That’s nice,” says Haak. “Levon can be used as a striker as well as a defender. So if the need is there, that can be an extra weapon. I still see RKAVV as one of the strongest teams, so I’m really not so sure that we’re going to win. We have to be very sharp and not underestimate this game. I think RKAVV still wants to play after competition, so they really have something to go for.”
Due to weekend football, which will be introduced in the third and fourth divisions and first divisions from next season, Haak announced his departure from Hoogeveen around the winter break. In addition to being head coach at Hoogeveen, he is also employed by FC Emmen and his coaching at FC Emmen Under-21 could not be combined with weekend football, according to Haak. He signed with WKE’16, not yet suspecting that the people of Emmen could just start playing weekend football next season.
‘No regrets, but a pity’
The problem of weekend football is now much less of an issue for Haak, because he succeeds René Grummel as head of youth academy at FC Emmen and resigns as trainer of FC Emmen Under-21.
Does he still regret leaving Hoogeveen? ,,Don’t regret. I chose WKE’16 when a championship and promotion were still far away for WKE. Well, and if they are going to win, then this can happen. So no, no regrets, but I do regret it. Because I feel very much at home at Hoogeveen. The club fits me and my girlfriend like a jacket. That is true. But WKE’16 is also a very nice association.”
WKE’16 after the winter break like a spear
WKE’16 was a sub-topper in the second class K Sunday for a long time, but after the winter break went like a spear. The team of departing trainer Albert Koops achieved no less than 32 points from 13 games, and now WKE’16 is champion candidate number one. If the Emmer camp team wins at Helpman on Whit Monday, the championship and thus promotion to the first division is a fact. With a draw in Haren, Valthermond still has good chances of winning the title: that team gets a visit from Peize and is then champion if they win.
Koops is interested in it. “Everything has already been arranged down to the last detail, I understand. Who will perform? I don’t know exactly, but count on Jannes and Bauke anyway, that seems logical to me. Everything is experienced very intensely here at the camp. There will be some tears.”
‘We have to win at Helpman’
But, Koops warns, WKE’16 is not yet a champion. ,,Helpman is a very good team, which is third for a reason. Fortunately, they have already secured the playoffs and Peize, Valthermond’s opponent, still has to work hard to prevent direct relegation. That may work out well. I assume that we just have to win at Helpman ourselves.”
Hoogeveen and WKE’16 are therefore preparing for a wonderful championship. A win is enough. But what about the first division F on Saturday, in which five teams can still become champions on the last match day. An unprecedented and unique apotheosis.
Superb apotheosis at Pelikaan S and Oranje Nassau
Broekster Boys and Pelikaan S are both on 45 points, but ONS Sneek, Oranje Nassau and Blauw Wit’34 all have only one point less. Everything still seems possible, especially now that the complete top-6 is playing against each other.
Pelikaan S (goal difference + 17) meets Oranje Nassau (+ 27) in Oostwold. ONS (+ 31) receives Blauw Wit’34 (+ 17). Leader Broekster Boys (+ 22) from Damwoude may have the best papers, but with Winsum-out also not an easy opponent: the Winsumers are still very promising in the battle for the third period.
Marum hopes for another misstep by Velocitas
And then the second class L on Saturday. Velocitas 1897 already lost two match points on the championship. At Achilles 1894, the Stadjers didn’t get any further than 2-2 and last Saturday the declared champion even lost at home to Bedum (1-3). Saturday the third and last chance for the title in the away match against the other Oude Dame, the already relegated Be Quick 1887. Does Velo now have the championship shudders under control? Because Marum is emphatically lurking. The Marumers can still become champion if the leader makes a mistake if they win the home game against Kollum.
Onstwedder Boys can also go through the village on the flat cart on Saturday, but then something has to happen: leader RWF has to lose at Mussel and Onstwedder Boys has to win at NWVV in Nieuw-Weerdinge. If RWF draws, it is also possible, but then the Boys from Onstwedde have to win 9-0. Maybe they should ask Twedo how to do that.
Delicious neighbors fight against relegation: Gomos-Roden
But there is also plenty to experience in the tail end of the rankings. What about a great neighborly quarrel between Gomos and Roden in the first division E Sunday on Whit Monday? The winning team averts direct relegation. That does not necessarily mean that the loser of the Noordenveldderby will immediately be relegated, because GRC is also a candidate to suffer that sad fate. Just like Gomos, the Stadjers have 26 points, but a slightly worse goal difference than the team from Norg (-15 to -13) and play at home against Jubbega.