What’s worse than dropping an all-deciding sport? Shedding an all-deciding sport 4 instances in a single season. Delta Venlo Males’s 1 from the First Division had a subscription to the fallacious consequence on the fallacious time final yr. Bitter, very bitter, however laughing about it stays one of the best medication for them. I really feel like Michael Ballack. He additionally misplaced all finals in a single season,” jokes captain Wouter Lenders (22).
It began looking forward to Delta Venlo this yr. They received the championship within the Topklasse Zaal. Solely the indoor fairy story ended in another way than hoped for, the primary scratch of the season filled with scars. A penalty nook within the final minute of the nacompetition sport in opposition to Klein Switzerland, after a 2-1 deficit, opened the door to promotion to the large league. However the ball didn’t go in. The primary blow was a reality.
There was not a lot time to grieve, because the ball quickly rolled on once more. In April, the workforce had a uncommon alternative to win a prize, within the closing of the Silver Cup. Union was, on paper, the best opponent. Not least as a result of Delta Venlo had crushed them 2-1 within the league earlier than the winter break. However the penny didn’t drop their manner this time. With a 5-4 defeat they swallowed their second disappointment of the season.
The main focus then shifted completely to the league. However quickly the subsequent nightmare turned actuality. Delta Venlo completed second, only one level behind chief Goirle. With some extent whole that within the different swimming pools would have effortlessly led to the championship.
However that was not the tip of the season. One closing hurdle nonetheless awaited: the playoffs. After the victory over Amersfoort, promotion to the Overgangsklasse appeared inside attain in spite of everything. A ray of hope in a season filled with disappointments. However within the subsequent spherical Delta Venlo suffered yet one more blow. They misplaced to HBS. A defeat that left a bitter style within the mouth of the season.
Delta Venlo suffered blow after blow final season. Photograph: Willem Vernes
Which defeat hit hardest? Captain Lenders doesn’t must assume lengthy: the lack of the championship within the First Division, he says resolutely.
‘First we misplaced the Silver Cup closing to Union. The next week we performed Union once more, for the competitors. We received that one. Then we had the whole lot in our personal fingers. However then we misplaced the topper to Goirle. No first place, no championship,” Lenders sighed. The frustration weighed closely on the workforce, he says. The thought of getting to go all out once more through the play-offs felt like an infinite burden. You don’t actually really feel like doing that anymore. You’ve had blow after blow, you’re accomplished with it. However then the season drags on for an additional two weeks.’
Happily, Delta Venlo was in a position to maintain smiling.
Nonetheless, he appears again on a terrific season, regardless of the whole lot that went fallacious. 5 seasons he has now performed subject hockey in Males’s 1, for the reason that merger in 2020. By no means earlier than did his workforce kick it thus far within the Silver Cup that they went on to play nationally. Within the league, the outcomes had been not often trigger for champagne both. So trying via rose-colored glasses, this was truly a incredible season for Delta Venlo. Lenders and his teammates cling to that. As a result of that can be an artwork: dropping so usually in the intervening time suprême and nonetheless persevering with to smile.
In any case these thrilling matches and setbacks, the environment remained tight. After the final sport of the season – the misplaced play-off in opposition to HBS – the beer flowed in abundance within the clubhouse, as a drugs in opposition to disappointment. Lenders remembers a putting comment from a teammate: “He mentioned: I really feel like Michael Ballack. Ballack, the footballer who in 2002 at Bayer Leverkusen managed to lose the Champions League closing, the cup closing and the battle for the nationwide title multi function season. And if that wasn’t sufficient, he additionally misplaced the World Cup closing with Germany that very same yr. Lenders: ‘Each blow got here exhausting, however laughing collectively stored us going.
Not Delta Venlo, however Union received the Silver Cup final season. Photograph: Willem Vernes
Get together on the lengthy bus rides
In case you ask him in regards to the spotlight of the season, he instantly begins beaming. The bus rides to the far-off away duels within the Silver Cup. Nothing forges a workforce like sitting on a bus for hours after a knockout win. Afterwards, these bus journeys had been essentially the most enjoyable. I actually hear that from everybody. We went from Ommoord in Rotterdam to Hoorn and to the ultimate at Fletiomare. We’ll always remember the semi-final in opposition to Hoorn. It ended 1-1 and we needed to take shoot-outs. Of the 4 shoot-outs, we missed three, however nonetheless received. I’m certain you’ll be able to think about how exuberant the celebration on the bus was.’
Slowly however absolutely the ache of disappointment is fading. Trying to the long run once more gives room for brand spanking new desires. ‘Subsequent season we’ll play the Gold Cup. Hopefully we’ll survive a spherical and bump right into a premier league workforce. Then we may have the prospect to scrub away this season’s hangover in a single fell swoop.’ He fortunately laughs about it himself.
