With the SEKISUI European Football Tournament coming up in September, it is time to introduce the teams participating in the event. It is great to see so many different countries being represented with old and new faces. Learn more about the teams below.
Alveo United
Back row from left to right: Christian Kiser, Robin Horndt, Ferdi Geyik, Frenk Stoop
Front row from left to right: Jan Descheemaecker, Ronny Wanner, Milan Radic, Juul Driessen Missing: Hanneke van Raaij, Danijel Marinkovic
Fact sheet
Company: SEKISUI Alveo
Location: various sites
What is the name of your team?
Alveo United. Founded back in early 2016 – standing for tradition and team spirit like nothing else.
How did you get together as a team?
Half of the team from last year with new forces.
How does your team prepare for the tournament?
We believe in our skills and disbelief in our opponents skills and see how reliable that is …
What things are you most looking forward to this year’s tournament?
The get-together as a team – as we’re split across Europe – and having a good time on and beside the field.
What does your team do to motivate themselves before matches?
We’ve never been closer to the truly deserved beer in the evening – that makes us run as fast as never before.
Top Scorer BS
From left to right: Soner Yürekli, Egzon Dukellaj, Timo Bender, Anis Ben Abdellativ, Alexander Weigl, René Korn, Basile Fancesco, Waldemar Schneider, Ricardo May, Daniel Lanius (missing: Sali Kelmendi)
Fact Sheet
Company: SEKISUI Alveo BS GmbH
Location: Bad Sobernheim, Germany
What is the name of your team?
Top Scorer BS – the same as last year.
How did you get together as a team?
Posting at site.
How does your team prepare for the tournament?
Individual training! Last year, we played with a very defensive tactic, which was not as successful as expected. This year, we will try a more offensive approach.
What things are you most looking forward to this year’s tournament
7 of 10 players are new. But they are very happy to be part of team and to participate in the tournament. According to the Olympic principle our motto is: “Taking part is what counts”.
What does your team do to motivate themselves before matches?
We have chosen a great motivation song of the band Red Hot Chili Peppers and a funny battle cry, which we will shout in a circle before every game.
HISPANIA FC
Left to right: Manuel Rivero Gómez, Juan Carlos Rojo Juárez, Javier Rojo Landáburu, Francisco Ramos García, Juan Pujol Fortuny, Nasser Safsafi, Víctor González León
Fact Sheet
Company: Sekisui Specialty Chemicals Europe, S. L.
Location: Tarragona, Spain
What is the name of your team?
As the Tournament is in Holland this year, we have changed our name. Tarragona is a city very related to Romans, who called the Iberia Peninsula “Hispania”.
How did you get together as a team?
90% of the players are the same as last year. But this time we expect that all players can play the tournament.
How does your team prepare for the tournament?
Some players practice other sports occasionally. Besides, we will play some matches against other teams in August.
What things are you most looking forward to this year’s tournament?
To visit a new country and to reunite with most of the players who participated last year.
What does your team do to motivate themselves before matches?
We will discuss it in August when we meet to play some matches.
EAFV (Ex Amateurs For Victory)
Back row from left to right: Guido Schuman, Karim Azzimani, Raymond Pelsers, Ralf Backus, Richard Paas, Dennis Schmitz
Front row from left to right: Ruud Creemers, Marco Schmitz, Ellen Rutjens (missing: Roel van den Heuvel)
Fact Sheet
Company: SEKISUI Alveo B.V.
Location: Roermond, Netherlands
What is the name of your team?
EAFV (Ex Amateurs For Victory) – made up by the last years’ captain.
How did you get together as a team?
Destiny (lottery).
How does your team prepare for the tournament?
Bootcamp and a training week in Barcelona in August this year. Just kidding. Because of the 5-shifts system it’s not possible to have a training together.
What things are you most looking forward to this year’s tournament?
The team spirit of all the teams. And the reunion of the players of last year.
What does your team do to motivate themselves before matches?
The first day of the tournament-weekend will be good for the team spirit. The process: have a drink, laugh, have fun and hopefully find the weak spots of our opponents.
TTLB (Tikki Takka Like Barcelona)
Upper row from left to right: Kenneth Schadt, Wilbert Piels, Bjorn Out, Ron Sonntag
Middle row from left to right: Bryan van der Ven, Dave Hermans, Philip Vaes, Maarten Haasdijk
Bottom row from left to right: Jaimy Holka, Daryll Ramsche
Fact Sheet
Company: SEKISUI Alveo B.V.
Location: Roermond, Netherlands
What is the name of your team?
Tikki Takka Like Barcelona.
How did you get together as a team?
We send a scout around the plant and then we selected the best players.
How does your team prepare for the tournament?
We prepare by training the overall fitness.
What things are you most looking forward to this year’s tournament?
We are looking forward to play football against teams from the other plants (and hopefully win the cup!)
What does your team do to motivate themselves before matches?
We don`t need to motivate ourselves, it`s great to play in this tournament, and we will give everything!
Zwarte Samurai
From left to right: Yoshio Aoshima, Masayuki Hosobuchi, Hirofumi Kitano, Shinji Yasukata, Takenori Takinami, Takumi Hayashi, Hiroaki Inui
Fact Sheet
Company: Japanese Team
Location: various sites
What is the name of your team?
It’s Zwarte Samurai. This name is combination of a famous Japanese thing and our team colour in Dutch.
How did you get together as a team?
We have gathered Japanese colleagues from our European companies.
How does your team prepare for the tournament?
We have training once a week in Roermond and Dusseldorf. We are practising to keep a high pressing defence in our matches.
What things are you most looking forward to this year’s tournament?
Meeting all European colleagues who have not been met yet. And getting the winner’s cup in this tough competition.
What does your team do to motivate themselves before matches?
We haven’t decided yet.
Allington Un-Athletic
Back row from left to right: Brad Retigan, Andy Ovenden, Chris Carter, Richie Stroud, THE Darren Bodkin
Front row from left to right: Dave Redman, Fola Majoyegbe and Carlos Da Silva
Fact Sheet
Company: SEKISUI Diagnostics (UK) Ltd.
Location: Kent
What is the name of your team?
Allington Un-Athletic – the site is based in Allington and most of the players are not very athletic.
How did you get together as a team?
Recruitment! We hired new staff that had ‘footballer’ on their résumé. For the rest of the spaces we held two trial games for anyone interested.
How does your team prepare for the tournament?
We have THE Darren Bodkin so we should be fine. Some players play 5-a-side football once a week. There are also some that are training for charity runs including a 10km and a half-marathon (20km). These players will be the ones that play the majority of the games to give the unprepared ones a rest!
What things are you most looking forward to this year’s tournament?
The BBQ!!! Maybe meeting some people from different sites playing football and having a beer together. The new members of our team this year will also have to sing a song as their initiation. That should be quite interesting.
What does your team do to motivate themselves before matches?
We will be adopting Andy O’s battle cry that he used last year!!! If anyone would like Andy to demonstrate this they should first buy him a drink.
Expected Toulouse
Upper row from left to right: Roy Oberje, Allal Bourimi, Eric Mrowald, Henry Jaspers (substitute player)
Middle row from left to right: David Alias, Marc Franken, Moreno Claessen, Sander Machielsen
Bottom row from left to right: Ron Janssen, Thorsten Jutten, Roel Philipsen, Vincent van Melick (substitute player)
Fact Sheet
Company: SEKISUI S-Lec B.V.
Location: Roermond, Netherlands
What is the name of your team?
Expected Toulouse. It is a wordplay and manages expectations of other teams.
How did you get together as a team?
By application – the team composition was done by our SEKISUI S-Lec, Roermond, contact person. We were told that this person happens to be an expert on this field ( … we will know it for sure after the 16th September).
How does your team prepare for the tournament?
There will be two football trainings. Obviously, intense training has to be followed by relaxing and stretching. Therefore, yoga!
What things are you most looking forward to this year’s tournament?
Competitiveness in a friendly environment and to meet colleagues from other regions.
What does your team do to motivate themselves before matches?
Stay hydrated.
Legends in progress
Upper row from left to right: Berend van Esch, Sahin Safak, Guy Heijthuijsen, Roger Mouchart
Middle row from left to right: Dennis van Helden, Raymond Houkes, Patrick van Duijnen, Ismail Kiki
Bottom row from left to right: Patrick Wijckmans, Davy Verbunt, Danny Fernandez (substitute player), Jalal Tijer (substitute player)
Fact Sheet
Company: SEKISUI S-Lec B.V.
Location: Roermond, Netherlands
What is the name of your team?
The team name is Legends in Progress, because our last year’s brought bad luck.
How did you get together as a team?
Our team get together by the football expert Henry Jaspers.
How does your team prepare for the tournament?
Training and more training.
What things are you most looking forward to this year’s tournament?
To climb up some ranks this year.
What does your team do to motivate themselves before matches?
Motivation? No need … can’t be worse than last year.
ER United
Back row from left to right: Alex van Guilik, Tim Hochstenbach, Marcel Bal, Jos Schreurs (he will not join this time), Ed Vluggen, Eddie Dunk (he will not join this time)
Front row from left to right:: Marianne Mols, Paul Lomme, Kris Mols, Ed de Koord
Fact Sheet
Company: SEKISUI S-Lec B.V.
Location: Geleen, Netherlands
What is the name of your team?
ER United. It refers to the only SEKISUI resin plant in Europe.
How did you get together as a team?
Everybody was asked within the organisation and 10 motivated people reacted.
How does your team prepare for the tournament?
Like last year the most players are also playing in the SEKISUI S-Lec soccer team. We will use this preparation for the tournament.
What things are you most looking forward to this year’s tournament?
We are looking forward to meeting our colleagues from other plants and, of course, just having a good time together.
What does your team do to motivate themselves before matches?
We are soccer players – motivation is not necessary. When we play, we do not want to lose.
