1. FC Köln Schultz’s first win
An East Frisian wants to slow down the Cologne carnival
Status: 2:50 p.m. | Reading time: 4 minutes
In the fourth attempt, coach Timo Schultz finally achieved their first victory with 1. FC Köln. There is little celebration, the coach has imposed clear rules of conduct. This is related to the specific dangers of the fifth season.
In the middle of the Cologne songs that were playing from the stadium loudspeakers, Timo Schultz made a clear announcement. Even before his players were able to gather in front of the south stand for the winner’s photo after the 2-0 (0-0) win over Eintracht Frankfurt, the new coach of 1. FC Cologne gave them something to take with them that will be in the fifth season in the Rhenish metropolis could seem quite strange. The Cologne players should refrain from celebrating. “I know I won’t make many friends with this,” he said: “But I’m not here to celebrate carnival.”
He accepted that Schultz ran the risk of being seen as a hindrance to fun. Despite the first victory in the fourth game under his direction, “nothing has been achieved yet. It’s just three points. We know that we need further results,” explained Steffen Baumgart’s successor.
Cologne is still in the relegation zone. On Sunday, Schultz still gave his players the day off from training so they could enjoy their success on Saturday evening. “They have waited long enough for this. But I assume that the players have recognized the seriousness of the situation and won’t party all week long when we have an important away game on Sunday.” Then it’s off to TSG Hoffenheim. From Monday onwards, the following applies again: full concentration on the mission of staying in the class.
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How good the victory was for the players became clear after the final whistle. It was like a relief for the crisis-ridden club. “There is nothing better. That’s why we play football. Above all, the fans deserve this,” said Max Finkgräfe. The left-back (19) was the most noticeable player in a self-sacrificing team and one of five Cologne players in the starting line-up who have not yet turned 23. The two goal scorers, Faride Alidou (22) and Jan Thielmann (21), are not exactly part of the league’s establishment – but they made the difference.
1. FC Köln relies on youngsters from the second row
Schultz had made a virtue out of necessity. “With Davie Selke, Luca Waldschmidt and Mark Uth, we have three seasoned Bundesliga players who are stupidly injured. That offers the opportunity for other boys,” explained the coach. They used the talents. That gives hope, because the youngsters are likely to be needed in the coming months, and not just because of the current injured regulars. The Cologne squad is fed on edge. And because of the transfer ban imposed on FC by the international sports court Cas, those responsible have their hands tied.
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While the competition from Darmstadt (18th), Mainz (17th) and Berlin (15th) increased in January, the Cologne team has to make the most of the existing potential. The last appearances made the 46-year-old confident that this can be achieved. He sees “a team that is stepping on the gas, really keen and close together, that wants to take on the situation, that knows exactly what they have to work on,” he explained.
Schultz awakens strengths that Baumgart did not see
In fact, something like the new coach’s handwriting can now be seen. The approach has been modified compared to Baumgart’s: FC places greater emphasis on defensive stability and a quick transition game. He “adjusted the processes” and set “new topics,” said Schultz. He tries to bring the team “more into the strengths that the other colleague didn’t see.”
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Cologne plays more pragmatically, no longer as offensively, but just as energetically as under Baumgart. According to the plan, this is intended to compensate for the playful deficits compared to better-manned opponents. This was achieved with great discipline on Saturday – but only because Frankfurt itself was weakening. Cologne’s goals only came after the traffic light card against Niels Nkounkou (66th minute).
Carnival session threw Cologne out of step
It remains a rocky road to avoid the seventh relegation in the club’s history. This doesn’t even require the temptations of carnival – which the East Frisian Schultz can’t quite avoid. On Tuesday the FC celebrates its club meeting.
Steffen Baumgart took part in the Rose Monday parade last year
Quelle: picture alliance/dpa/Oliver Berg
A year ago, Cologne was thrown off track because of this meeting – also because some players had subsequently called in sick. “I have to say: the carnival wasn’t good for us,” Schultz’s predecessor Baumgart said to himself at the time.
Schultz now says: “I’m looking forward to the meeting, I’m looking forward to the carnival season. But I’m here to work with the team.” Cologne will train twice on Tuesday.
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