Reporters Jonathan Ploeg and William Pomp write to each other every week about the ins and outs of their clubs. This time about the (forced) trip to De Geusselt and a rosy view towards FC Twente-uit. At least?
Hey Jonathan,
Here’s a note from my hotel room in the heart of Maastricht. Take a breather for a few days in the middle of the Limburg geniality. Yet the work here does not leave me untouched, I noticed upon entering. When you approach this Burgundian city on the Maas by car, you will immediately see the stadium lamps of De Geusselt on your left. Next football season another permanent address in my agenda, it can hardly be missed.
The appearance of the MVV accommodation reminded me of the years I followed FC Emmen in the first division. The trip to Maastricht was the furthest of the season. It was as if the devil was playing with it, but the trip to the Limburg hills was almost always on the roll at the same time as the Amstel Gold Race.
Not many things in life are sacred to me, but the tradition of a weekend with friends in Valkenburg is certainly one of them. Every year we make a huge party at the famous Limburg pimple. The program always looks the same: on Friday evening reception at café De Grendelpoort, on Saturday with a hefty hangover touring the mountains yourself and on Sunday, surrounded by local festivities, cheering on the real matadors literally a meter away from our front door from the B&B on the Cauberg.
You understand, it is impossible for me to separate myself from these ‘activities’, although at the time I did feel sorry for colleague Jan Mennega. He was always forced to replace the undersigned on those Fridays all the way up and down from Assen to Maastricht, while less than five kilometers away I refreshed myself with the great pleasures of life.
Why are you writing this to me, will you think? Well, I’d keep that in mind if I were you. After all, you are now my closest colleague. Block Friday, April 12, 2024 in your calendar.
Until next week! William
Hi William,
Not so long ago I heard this anecdote from Jan himself. He dutifully traveled to the South, marveling at the fact that you couldn’t break free from all the festivities for two hours to report on that beautiful poster. After all, it would have saved him a total of seven hours of driving. ah, no hard feelings yes, I understood from Jan. He did it with love. For you and the newspaper. Years later, I still take my hat off to it.
But I’m sorry to disappoint you: as much as I like you, I don’t intend to follow in Jan’s footsteps next year. As it stands now, I finally want to drive the touring version of the Amstel Gold Race myself (provided I am selected). Hurling through the hills of Limburg for more than 240 kilometers seems wonderful to me. Maybe we’ll run into each other, I hope so. I’m curious how such a lycra suit actually looks on you. High expectations!
Anyway. I’ll take a sneak peek next weekend. Then I have a 200 kilometer tour on the racing bike through the province of Groningen on the program. Hopefully it will be a triumph and not an agony. Unfortunately, I have to let the game of FC Emmen against FC Twente pass me by. Although, of course, I will occasionally take a curious look at my mobile to check the reporting of our valued colleague Symen Bosma.
More than a month ago I was still skeptical: FC Twente would take full advantage. Now I see it a bit rosier. FC Emmen’s game looks smoother and, perhaps more importantly, the team shows the right mentality on the field. That and the fact that FC Twente is performing considerably less well on foreign soil this season than in its own Grolsch Veste, gives citizens courage. Although Ron Jans’ team is of course number five in the ranking for a reason…
M curious! Jonathan