For four seasons, from 1996 to 2000, Brazilian Belgian Claudio Gewehr (58) reached the highest (inter)national peaks with the then Noliko Maaseik, led by guru Anders Kristiansson and assistants Mathieu Bollen and Claes Haldorsson. Seasoned with three titles, three cups and double silver and bronze in the Champions League. After many wanderings, Claudio was approached again by VC Greenyard Maaseik at the end of December '24 to pull the slumping team out of the doldrums after the departure of Dutchman Guido Görtzen. And look: Gewehr bit until the end of the season and opened the new year 2025 with two nice three-pointers on his return: at home against Waremme (3-0) and away at Caruur Gent (0-3). Result: the doom of a missed ticket for the BeNe Conference seems to have been averted.

“We are neatly in the top four, who are in the BNC, against the top four of the Netherlands. At the moment, not definitively, they are Lycurgus Groningen, Orion Stars Doetinchem, VC Huizen and Dynamo Apeldoorn.”

With a room-wide smile, Claudio Gewehr speaks to us in the Maaseikse Steengoed Arena. From the Brazilian region of Santo Angelo (club VC Sadia) he ventured as a descendant of migrants (they left Germany around 1840) to the crossing by boat to France (VC Orléans). In 1988 he chose Belgium. “I was already a professional in Brazil at the age of 17. A status that did not exist in Belgium. So I easily found shelter in Ternat (clubs Cera and Kruikenburg), where I wrote a much-appreciated Belgian and Dutch chapter, from my nest in Groot-Bijgaarden.”

You recently moved to an apartment in Maaseik. That was a quarter of a century ago.

“Yes, I quickly came to an agreement. My environment told me: 'Claudio, Maaseik is your thing'. My Belgian wife thought it was okay. She stayed at home. I see her and son Luca (31, he plays for Caruur Gent B) on days off and on Sundays. Refusing was not an issue. I had stopped working as assistant and advisor to T 1 Ugo Blairon at women's premier league Tchalou. The position of technical director at the Walloon association had also disappeared. I stayed at home for a while.

And I'm not the type to sit around idly. I still have that youthful 'drive' and my fierce South American temperament. To keep my nerves in check, (laughs) I drink less coffee. I know that Waremme and Gent are not real yardsticks. The button has been turned a bit in a favourable way. But the most difficult regular matches are still in the drawer. At home against Antwerp and Haasrode-Leuven. With two 'outings' !! to Roeselare and Aalst as a gripping finale. I managed to infuse the team with an injection of energy and confidence right away. Just before the final phase of the regular and CL competition. With the wonderful European crackers at home against PGE Projekt Warschau (Pol) and Volley Ljubljana (Slo) ahead. I'm curious to see how we will react in the difficult moments that will come our way in the short term. But until today: so far, so good.”

Did you make any changes when you arrived two weeks ago?

“Yes, slight adjustments. I spent a lot of time in conversations. Also in personally oriented training, which I arranged individually with each player. I can draw ideas from the player approach that Go Pass Zellik, Haasrode and Go Pass/Pepe Jeans Lennik used in my career. In Puurs I had sources of inspiration as a trainer such as Jasper Diefenbach, Dennis Deroey, Wannes Rosiers and Ugo Blairon. Only Narbonne (Fra) with Guillermo Falasca and the Slovenian Dejan Vincic was disappointing. Nothing was right. I terminated my trainer contract after four months. The main thing in volleyball is: how can I work result-oriented according to the Kristiansson and Heynen method. Those two have no equal in our country. With their boundless passion to win every, yes every match. We scored with a series of shrewd stars: Heynen, Greves, Roex, Barthels, Urnaut, Schuil, Lebl, Wijsmans, Klok, Reymen and Steve Smith. Trees grew into in heaven. We were stuck together like superglue. Something you rarely see in today's individualized ego society."

Are these ideas and visions that you expanded in four seasons with the Dutch Talent Team (compared to the volleyball school Vilvoorde) in Papendal near Arnhem?

“Yes, I had unforgettable, wonderful experiences there. I built up a network as technical director. I combined the Talent Team during the school year with the position of assistant national coach in the summer with the Oranje Lange Mannen, under the supervision of T 1 Guido Vermeulen, now active in Sweden. Unfortunately, it is a 'modus vivendi' that the Dutch (too) like to rotate with functions. I found it so sad that it stopped for me. Previously, I was Belgian national coach from 2005 to 2012. Together with Appie Krijnsen, among others.”

Back to today: what do you want to achieve with Maaseik?

“I try to implement a stronger group structure. With clear agreements for everyone. Only then can you achieve something. The coach alone is not responsible for success or failure. No, it is a concern for every cog in and around the team. Individualism is so detestable. The 'mix' of older and younger must find each other. I see that more and more 'islands' are appearing in volleyball. Many players live purely in their own little world, they only know their teammates superficially. That used to be different. Perhaps that is why team sports are having a hard time.”

Hasn't it all become too serious, too businesslike? There's hardly any time left to party?

“Maybe you're right. There should be a bit more laughter at the right time. Fun is good for group confidence, the perfect outlet when the pressure to perform and stress are too high. Moreover, it's quite good to clear your head. Then I choose a game of indoor football instead of volleyball training. That way you can take the high mental pressure off the boiler. Because you can't 'bucket' and keep 'bucket' for weeks. That's pointless. You have to give the atmosphere a 'push'. With all eyes on the future.”

In the regular competition, you will know on Saturday 8 February whether you will make it to the top four. The stakes are therefore that ticket for the BeNe Conference.

“That's right, 'noblesse oblige', Maaseik is obliged by its status to qualify for the top of the country. That is the first challenge. Roeselare (32 points), Menen and Achel (both 29 points) are already further ahead than us (26 points). We have to be careful, because Lindemans Aalst and VHL Haasrode Leuven (25 points) are breathing down our necks. For us, it is not okay for the top four. I have only been in Maaseik for ten days, but I hope to round the buoy. I do not want to miss the confrontations with the Netherlands under any circumstances.”

You are playing two group matches at home in the Champions League this month. What is the goal there?

“This Wednesday 15/1 we will fight against the Poles from Warsaw, the leader in the group. I hope for a positive 'mindset'. That we will come out of it as well as possible. Winning against the Polish steamroller will be difficult. That unconditional win is a 'must' in our CL final match against Ach Volley Ljubljana. Losing against the Slovenians is closing the books, winning means advancing to the quarter finals of the CEV Cup. I keep hammering home that we have to do excellent training work every day to realize that mission.”

How will the title fight evolve and the future of Belgian volleyball in general?

“Knack Roeselare is still 'solid'. That may change with the transition that is inevitably approaching. At general club level, innovation is urgently needed. And cooking costs a lot of money. That can only happen by generating income ... via transfers. Very urgent in professional volleyball!! In football, huge amounts of money are flowing in. At the moment, our volleyball is really not progressing. Recruiting 'world players', oops, that is a thing of the past. Result: too few crowd pullers. I hope for increased subsidies from the various governments, following the French model, where the clubs draw 85 percent of their budget from 'public money' from cities and larger regions. No money, unfortunately no stars. How that can change (transfer fees!), is up to our Ministry of Sports.”

Calendar Champions League (20:30)

Wed 15/1 VC Greenyard Maaseik – PGE Projekt Warszawa (Pol)
Wed 29/2 VC Greenyard Maaseik – Ach Volley Ljubljana (Slo)

Regular calendar (20:30)

Sat 18/1 VC Greenyard Maaseik – Thuismakers Brabo Antwerp
2at 25/1 VC Greenyard Maaseik – Volley Haasrode Leuven
Sat 01/2 Knack Roeselare – VC Greenyard Maaseik
Sat 08/2 Lindemans Aalst – VC Greenyard Maaseik

Text: Leo Peeters

Photos: archive