2. League: infidelity as successful mannequin – because the 1. FC Köln managed the pattern reversal | EUROtoday

The followers of 1. FC Köln nearly did not appear to know whose substitute they need to now demand. So in speech choirs they labored on two supposed causers of the distress: to sports activities director Christian Keller, whom many had already held accountable for relegation from the Bundesliga final summer-and on the coach Gerhard Struber, who was then dedicated by Keller. Because underneath his management, the staff appeared to have little probability of getting a return up quickly.

That was on the finish of October 2024, a great three months in the past. At that point, the Cologne staff had simply misplaced 1-2 towards Paderborn at dwelling. It was the third defeat of the defeat. Only twelve of a doable 30 factors had been scored from ten video games – and the staff largely performed with an nearly scary naivety: offensive, generally even enticing – however with extraordinarily massive variety of errors. The followers threatened to despair.

three months later, the structure is an entire. FC greets the highest of the second league within the high of the desk, may even develop the lead in a win over FC Schalke 04 within the dwelling recreation on Sunday (1.30 p.m., Sky). There is a spirit of optimism-this may additionally change that from the DFB Cup final Wednesday night at Bayer Leverkusen (2: 3 after extension). On the opposite: the truth that I’ve introduced among the finest membership groups in Europe to the brink of a defeat appears to have made self -confidence even larger.

“We have to take the good out of the game. Namely, that we already have a significantly higher level than we may have shown it last, ”stated Keller afterwards. Struber was additionally satisfied that the brave look will give braveness – as bitter because the end result was. “This is sport, it sometimes hurts. But you saw that we can also kick and that we can trust ourselves more in the league, ”stated the coach.

Gerhard Struber’s particular philosophy

It was tough to seek out phrases to arrange his gamers once more after they solely conceded the 2-2 compensation in added time-but the greater than respectable efficiency all the time to have the ability to straighten up once more shortly. She exhibits that Cologne additionally has a objective once more “within reach” that had already been categorised as fallacious within the meantime: the return. The Austrian averted the time period, however everybody knew what they meant.

Struber now is aware of from his personal expertise how shortly the temper in Cologne can tip over. The reality that he’s nonetheless within the job regardless of the false begin is just not a matter in fact. But he himself made the decisive contribution to the pattern reversal. The 48-year-old questioned his personal strategy. He now lets the staff play very in a different way.

Struber was not straightforward, nevertheless. He spent 15 of his 18 years of teaching within the Red Bull cosmos – as a youth coach, as a coach of farm groups within the worldwide soccer venture of the beverage firm and most lately a season as head coach of RB Salzburg. The RB philosophy formed it: assault, put the opponent underneath stress, assault him early and with excessive danger. So, he introduced in the summertime when he got here to Cologne, FC also needs to play.

But it did not work – or at the very least not usually sufficient. Struber’s staff, which additionally suffered from the results of the relegation and the related restlessness within the membership, repeatedly gripped into the identical entice. She could possibly be countered after lack of balls and scored many factors. The “Süddeutsche Zeitung” described Struber as a “monothematic representative of the Red Bull or counter-ball school”-a method of enjoying that doesn’t match the gamers.

In Cologne, expertise goes earlier than expertise

So Struber modified: he modified the system and prescribed one other technique. Away from the excessive restoration of the complete -back and the fixed try of ball conquisions – in direction of pragmatic compactness with three central defenders and a deeper staggering. From then on, Cologne had much less possession, even fewer probabilities. But recognizable extra stability. Nine victories from ten league video games adopted, additionally as a result of Struber up to date his standards within the collection of gamers. He now prefers expertise expertise.

Since the start of the turnaround, a number of veterans who had hardly performed a job till then have been repeatedly within the beginning eleven: Marvin Schwäbe, 29, moved again into the objective. It was nearly gone in the summertime – as a result of he did not wish to go to the second division after which the expertise Jonas Urbig, 21, was put in entrance of him. In the meantime, Urbig is gone – he went to FC Bayern for seven million euros that the FC can use effectively. Swabia, alternatively, offers safety safety.

This additionally applies to Dominique Heintz. The skilled defensive specialist solely performed a subordinate function in the beginning of the season. Sometimes the 29-year-old didn’t even discover a place within the matchday squad. He has been a central determine since final November – relating to the group and as a number one participant. Heintz stops the teammates, stays cool even in harmful phases – similar to final Wednesday in Leverkusen. Despite an early yellow card, he led each duel towards the highest strikers in Leverkusen and gained the overwhelming majority. “He brings football coating par excellence – how he makes really good decisions in certain situations, how he can read the game,” stated Struber.

The Cologne staff developed with a delay, however presumably nonetheless in time for a second division high team-because the routines stabilized the delicate basis. This advantages the damaging storm duo with Damian Downs, 19, and Tim Lemperle, 23, each of whom at the moment are on eight league hits. FC usually wins. Struber is conscious that there’s nonetheless room for enchancment – however the course is correct.

The 1. FC Köln has one other perspective – and can also be able to motion, even when the financial constraints are nonetheless massive. However, the one -year switch lock, to which the membership had been sentenced to the damaged contract for alleged incitement, expired on December 31. In components it had even been relaxed three weeks earlier. Struber received three winter entry, generally additionally in anticipation of the top of the summer season. Then, along with Urbig, Lemperle is gone, who is claimed to have already agreed in Hoffenheim. Several first division golf equipment are eager about Downs.

But the probabilities of returning are as actual because it has not been for a very long time.

Oliver Müller reported for the world As a soccer reporter for years over Borussia Dortmund And the opposite golf equipment from the Ruhr space and the west.