In the Dutch Cup, Gersom Klok writes a curious fairy tale. The fitness coach of FC Emmen knocks his employer out of the competition.
As is well known, the Cup has its own laws. And sometimes it also writes curious stories. Like in the Netherlands.
The main character of this special Cup fairy tale on Tuesday evening was Gersom Klok. The 35-year-old works full-time as a fitness coach for the second division club FC Emmen and also plays in the fourth league for VV Hoogeveen on the side. In the Cup, both teams now faced each other – and it happened as it had to.
For the amateur club, the 1-0 victory was a major surprise – with Klok in the middle, who played as a defender for Hoogeveen against his actual employer.
The defensive player once even got promoted to the Eredivisie with FC Emmen and played 17 games in the Dutch top flight in the 2018/19 season.
But a major professional career was denied to him. After his departure from Emmen, he played for five years in the Dutch third league before joining Hoogeveen this summer – as a side job, so to speak.
Does he now have to fear being suspended? “I wouldn’t blame them,” Klok joked. However, he assumes that his actual club will handle the situation professionally.
For the day after the Cup coup, he took the day off. “I think the guys don’t want to see me for now either.”
The reception from his work colleagues was initially warm before the game, as Klok reported. “I shook their hands right away.” But once the match started, all personal connections became secondary. “I’m still too much of a footballer for that.”
The goal of the evening, however, was not scored by Klok but by his teammate Sander Egbers (22nd minute) via a penalty.
“Now I’m enjoying it first, but as soon as I’m back in the FC Emmen kit in the fitness room, I will do my best for FC Emmen. That seems logical to me,” said Klok.
At the end of the week, he is supposed to return to his actual work at FC Emmen. “I don’t think they will hold anything against me.”