2024-05-18 21:35:27
1. FC Köln has to maneuver to the 2nd Bundesliga. Necessary personnel selections have already been made. A danger.
The miracle did not occur. After weeks of trembling and hoping, it’s now clear that 1. FC Köln will play within the 2nd Bundesliga subsequent 12 months. Because of the 1:4 defeat at newly promoted Heidenheim, the “Billy Billy Goats” stay in seventeenth place with 27 factors.
The perplexed FC striker Mark Uth struggled after the ultimate whistle in a TV interview with the phrases: “I do not actually know what to say. The primary half was once more… I do not know, I haven’t got the phrases for that both. Sadly .”
As so usually this season, Cologne confirmed a desolate face in Heidenheim. It couldn’t be ignored that the squad lacks high quality in all components of the crew. Cologne was susceptible on the again, innocent and inefficient on the entrance. No matter whether or not it was underneath former coach Steffen Baumgart or underneath present coach Timo Schultz, managing director Christian Keller had already admitted at first of January: “Because the individual accountable, I used to be unable to compensate for the departures of Jonas Hector and Ellyes Skhiri. I may now give causes for that for enumeration. However as was stated earlier than: ultimately the duck shits and I did not handle to interchange the 2.
Keller is true. And but the relegation has no penalties for him. President Werner Wolf made this clear three weeks in the past. “We’ll proceed on our path and combat for our course. This is applicable to us because the board. This is applicable to our three managing administrators, whose work we’re satisfied of,” defined Wolf in a membership interview. Which means: Keller stays in workplace, though he’s partly chargeable for the relegation squad. A choice that might have a destructive influence on Cologne.
The record of errors
Wolf justified the choice in favor of Keller by not eager to fall into previous patterns the place heads roll too shortly when one thing goes unsuitable. “We need to break the vicious circle of opportunistic measures of the previous 35 years,” stated Wolf.
On the one hand, which may be commendable, to not bow to the same old mechanisms of the brutal soccer enterprise. Alternatively, it may also be seen as handy – in spite of everything, Keller made unsuitable selections on a number of ranges. The 45-year-old not solely didn’t strengthen the squad sufficiently in the summertime of 2023, he additionally failed to decide on the proper successor for the teaching place after the amicable separation from Baumgart. As a result of Schultz was unable to provoke a turnaround.
As well as, there’s the switch ban, which Keller didn’t trigger however was unable to avert (you’ll be able to learn extra concerning the switch ban right here). Within the negotiations with Olimpija Ljubljana, he initially solely supplied the Slovenians 100,000 euros for an out-of-court settlement. Ljubljana needed extra, Keller refused – and misplaced in courtroom. He additionally missed out on retaining a number of proficient youth gamers. Justin Diehl will more than likely be part of VfB Stuttgart, U19 nationwide participant Matti Wagner has already signed in Fürth. And Max Finkgräfe, who grew to become an everyday participant at left again underneath Schultz, can also be stated to be fascinated about a change, based on “Sport Bild”.
What’s subsequent?
Keller will not be capable of make too many changes to the squad subsequent summer season, as Cologne’s fingers are tied on the switch market because of the switch ban. He may solely make a distinction within the teaching place. However a month in the past he did not need it. “I stated that I’m very, very happy with the coach’s work. The satisfaction can’t rely on league membership,” stated Keller in a chat format with the native media “Categorical” and “Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger” in April.