'When the crowd whined that he dribbled too much, he pulled down his pants'

Football-loving Netherlands are often presented with the same menu: 'the big three' and respective side dishes. That's why you take Football zone this season a glimpse into the Kitchen Champion Division. With the help of the archives and a carefully selected club expert, we put the less exposed Dutch clubs in the spotlight. This edition offers a look behind the scenes of FC Eindhoven, the first club in the Netherlands to set up a sponsor society.

In the 1950s, Eindhoven, then called EVV, was under the spell of Jan Louwers. The right winger after which the current stadium is still named. “He was a dribbler. As big as Messi, and a fantastic man with a lot of charisma,” says Pascal Maas, current head of youth development at the club. Louwers was a great football player, a gambler, and equally controversial because of his rebellious character. “If supporters complained too much because he would dribble too much, he would quickly pull down his pants,” laughs Maas.

During his first period (1950/60), Eindhoven experienced true glory years. After a second place in 1952, EVV, as it is still called, became regional champion a year later. In the championship competition, as the final national title is then decided, the club will lose to RCH from Heemstede. EVV does take top honors the following season. After finishing first in the First Division A, Eindhoven wins the Dutch national title after a mini competition with co-champions DOS, PSV and DWS.

In the first year of professional football (1954/55) it happened again. Eindhoven wins the regional championship. That promises something for when the Eredivisie starts, but at the end of the debut season 1956/57 the club finished last. A long period in the first division follows. With seventh and sixth places, as well as fourth place in the rankings, Eindhoven seems close to promotion, but the opposite happens. After finishing fifteenth, the club is relegated to the second division.

Two seasons at that level, then four in the first division. Then, in 1975, Eindhoven was promoted to the Eredivisie for the first time. “Those were two wonderful years. Legendary,” says Maas. “We won 1-2 against Roda in the first match. Then we lost 0-4 to PSV. The following year we managed to draw 2-2 against PSV,” he remembers. The stadium also experienced its heyday during that period, with a capacity of up to 18,000 people. “Sometimes there were almost 20,000. They were in the trees, on the roof, everywhere.”

After relegation in 1977, Eindhoven will not return to the Eredivisie. Not even after the debut of Maas himself, who joined the first team in 1982. “Things didn't go well then. Not financially or sportingly. We have been stuck at one level for too long.” But eventually the club picks itself up. “Eindhoven was the first club in the Netherlands with a sponsor society, around 1985. So what are now sponsor rooms. You did have sponsors, but not as a group of people with whom you also did activities.”

With that breakthrough and an ever-growing economy in Eindhoven, the local FC is also making progress. “The late eighties was my good period,” says Maas. Eindhoven finished sixth in 1988 and fifth in 1990. “I have played almost 400 matches and scored almost 90 goals as a midfielder. I never wanted to miss it.” During that period, Maas experienced some nice games, with and against players he will never forget.

“In 1989 we played for the cup against Ajax, with Aron Winter. I've never had to walk so much. For safety reasons we played in the PSV stadium. There were 15,000 people there, including many PSV supporters. Of course they were for us.” Fortunately, he has a nicer memory of Ajax. “With Jong Eindhoven, we played against a sixteen-year-old Van Basten. Our central defender said: 'That Van Basten came on a few times in the first team, but he didn't score against me.' Within twelve minutes he had a hat-trick, we lost 9-2. Yes… they were really great,” he says, laughing.

Maas also played for a while with Hans Kraaij Junior. The notorious club hopper played for Eindhoven from 1988 to 1991. Maas will never forget one moment. “It was his first game for us. We played against SVV and they kicked off. Hans was a central defender, but he immediately stood near the circle. The referee blew the whistle, but he was already running. And before the ball was touched by an SVV player, Hans already made a tackle.”

Maas is now in calmer waters, but as head of youth training he is still involved in professional football in Eindhoven. “We are, in a sense, a training club. There are many players who were here and went to PSV, for example. Our youth training is increasingly flourishing. There is also a lot of support behind that. We are growing well and that will pay off in delivering players to the first team. Dyon Dorenbosch is the most recent example of this. He was a youth player here, went to PSV for four years and has now broken through into the first team in Eindhoven.”

As head of youth training, Maas is still involved in professional football on a daily basis.

Eindhoven continues to aim for promotion. The economic growth that the city is experiencing is an important factor. “ASML, VDL and Philips. The attraction that such companies bring… people want to come to Eindhoven.” Does PSV's popularity hinder FC Eindhoven's growth? “No, I do not think so. In Rotterdam you have three clubs, so two at the highest level should also be possible here. If we get promoted, and I am convinced that we will, then a lot will be released. PSV is then the international and national top, we are in the right row of the Eredivisie, and Jong PSV in the KKD. Then they have three echelons where they can place their players.”

In recent years, Eindhoven has been close to promotion several times, but things always went wrong in the play-offs. “The quality shows throughout the season. Then you have it. But there is also a luck factor involved in the play-offs. One day it will have to fall your way, but that will certainly happen here,” says Maas. This season too, Eindhoven hopes to be one of the lucky clubs competing for the coveted promotion.

'That promotion will come at some point, I am convinced of that.'

“We started well, then we had a dip. It also helps that Joey Sleegers has been injured for a long time. They should help us again after the winter.” The differences are close in that respect. Maas thinks that the club can definitely take the next step if the stadium is given a makeover. “It is an eyesore that we are looking at a school here. A football club in such a city deserves to have four sides with stands. If we can take that next step, you will progress as a club,” he concludes.

Voetbalzone is the official media partner of the Kitchen Champion Division

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