BRANDENBURG AN DER HAVEL - Dick Jaspers and Eddy Merckx will not play for the team of Dallinga/AEJ in the next season. The triple Dutch world champion and two times Belgian world champion leave the team that was announced as super team this in the Dutch and Belgian competition. Dick Jaspers leaves for HCR Prinsen in Haarlo and Eddy Merckx to A1 Biljarts in Apeldoorn. In the Belgian league, Merckx will continue to play for De Goeie Queue in Malle. Jaspers is looking for a new team in Belgium. He will play all matches in the Bundesliga.
The departure of these two top players from Sluiskil doesn't come as a real surprise, because there were already rumors that the team would fall apart. Frédéric Caudron and Jean Paul de Bruijn want to keep on playing in Sluiskil. The decision is expected shortly.
Eddy Merckx announced the transfer during the European championships in Brandenburg as first. He explained that he prefers to play as first man in a team and not as third player as he did this year. ,,I want to play matches against world class players, that is a major reason for my departure'', he says.
Dick Jaspers gave no explicit explanation, but he already said a few weeks ago that he had an offer from another team. He signed a contract for HCR Prinsen, where Christian Rudolph, Anno de Kleine, Markus Galla, Dave van Geel, Michel van Silfhout and Raymund Swertz were the players this year.
Eddy Merckx becomes the main player in the team of A1 Biljarts with Raimond Burgman, Martien van der Spoel, Henk Blauwblomme and Addie Wienk.
The transfer means for Jaspers that he opts for security. The Luxor World Cup winner, who is still in the race for the European title like Eddy Merckx, is also looking for a strong Belgian team.
Eddy Merckx remains playing for the German team of Velbert. ,,I feel at home in this team and they also wanted me to stay.''
The two top players will play the play-offs and the cup final with Dallinga/AEJ in Holland as a farewell. In Belgium, De Goeie Queue/AEJ became champion with a big advantage.