The Kitchen Champion Division has been used as a nursery for national and international talents for decades and this season too, many football players with potential are walking around on the second level. Voetbalzone, the official media partner of the Kitchen Champion Division, highlights one of these talents every week, this time focusing on Jasper Dahlhaus, who impresses on the left flank of the highly performing FC Eindhoven.
“The fact that we performed so well last season and even made it to the play-offs is of course fantastic and quite special,” says Dahlhaus with a big smile. “Personally, I also played a lot of good duels, I’m proud of that.” The Brabant club worked last season in the Eerste Divisie with the fifteenth (!) budget, but nevertheless managed to surprise by finishing in third place. “I think we just played well as a team,” said Dahlhaus, when asked if he has an explanation for the excellent performance. “Everyone knew his duties. It was good, we gave little away defensively and have continued that line this season.”
Dahlhaus (center) was good for nine goals and five assists on behalf of FC Eindhoven last season.
Dahlhaus played nine years in the youth of Vitesse, after which he made the switch to Willem II in 2020. “There was perspective in Arnhem. I actually had some really good seasons there. I just had the feeling that I wasn’t appreciated one hundred percent there. Then I made the choice to take a different step.” The born Doetinchemmer chose Willem II and started with the Under 21. After half a season in Tilburg, he let himself be rented out to FC Eindhoven. “This was not necessarily a conscious choice. At that time, it was a great opportunity for me to play professional football fairly quickly and at a young age.”
After thirteen appearances on behalf of the Blue-White in the Kitchen Champion Division, Dahlhaus actually wanted to go for his chance at Willem II in the summer of 2021. “I had a very good preparation and I felt that I left a good impression in the practice matches I played. There was just very strange communication. I had to participate in one race and not the other, while I was just doing well.” Dahlhaus opted for a departure and since the first half year on a rental basis at FC Eindhoven had gone well from both sides, a definitive switch turned out to be a logical consequence. “I had a good feeling at FC Eindhoven and was able to play more minutes here than at Willem II. I think it was a good step for me in the end.”
Under trainer Rob Penders, Dahlhaus immediately gained confidence last season and with 38 duels in the First Division, in which he found the net nine times, Dahlhaus also gave his business card. “I started last year as a striker, as a right winger. Only then did we change to a formation with five defenders and I wasn’t part of that yet. I just played in the front and because of that system change, I also had to make do with substitutes for a period of time. I just didn’t come to FC Eindhoven to sit on the couch. Immediately after the winter break I ended up on the left wing and after that first game I didn’t really disappear there anymore.”
Dahlhaus is regularly described in the media as a all-rounder, but the youngster himself doesn’t quite agree with that and describes himself as a player who ‘just covers the whole left wing’. “I am an attacking, fast and technical player with a lot of running ability. Can you compare me to Valentino Vermeulen? He also has a lot of running ability and could often go down the right wing, but he is stronger defensively and I am a bit more attacking.”
Dahlhaus celebrates his opening goal against FC Emmen.
The fairytale of FC Eindhoven came to an end last season in the second round of the Kitchen Champion Play-Offs, when ADO Den Haag proved too strong 4-2 over two matches. Pride dominates at Dahlhaus, although he did have a sour aftertaste from the elimination. “If you had said in advance that we would make it to the play-offs, you say: ‘I will sign for that’. But once we got to the play-offs, of course we weren’t satisfied with that. Then you want to get the most out of it. We have already done that, but of course you are still very disappointed.”
The fact that he was able to make so many flying hours in the Kitchen Champion Division last season is clearly reflected in his development, according to Dahlhaus. “You have to physically get used to playing professional football. You have to deliver every week, go full throttle and give 100 percent.” Where Dahlhaus sometimes noticed that he was tired at the beginning of last year, he is proud of how he started the new season. “Every week I am in top shape. Of course you are also broken for a while after a match, but I recover faster. Getting into that rhythm is the most important thing I have taken with me from my first full year in the Kitchen Champion Division.”
The strong season of FC Eindhoven ensured that Joey Sleegers (Dibba Al-Fujairah) and Valentino Vermeulen (Borussia Dortmund II) both made a special transfer last summer. “Of course I’m proud of that,” says Dahlhaus. “They have both made good progress. They have earned it themselves by playing a good season personally. I completely agree with them that they seized these opportunities with both hands.” Where, among others, Sleegers and Vermeulen left Eindhoven, Dahlhaus consciously chose to extend his contract after the season by one year, until mid-2024. “The club also wanted to extend and I had the feeling that I was not ready at FC Eindhoven after my first full season.”
Under Penders, FC Eindhoven turned out to be the surprise of the Eerste Divisie in the previous year. Despite the fact that the Kitchen Champion Division is more heavily occupied this season than ever before, the people of Eindhoven have started energetically. They currently occupy third place with eighteen points from eight matches. “Obviously, the goal is to reach the play-offs again. It’s still early in the season, but if we give 100 percent every game with the whole team, then we know we can get results. Personally, I just want to play at least as many matches as last year, that is my main objective. I want to improve myself, have a good season and then we’ll look further in the summer. You never know how things will turn out, but then I would prefer to take a step.”
Voetbalzone is the official media partner of the Kitchen Champion Division
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