There are football professionals who have value to a club beyond just kicking the ball or holding the ball. As an integration figure, as a mood booster, as a club ambassador. Kevin Trapp is considered one of the “faces” of Frankfurt Eintracht, which is not only due to his harmonious physiognomy, but also to his lasting and deeper relationship with the traditional Hessian club and his ability to express his connection.
On Tuesday the national goalkeeper was commissioned as PR manager. There was no reason for Eintracht to schedule a press conference with Kevin Trapp other than to give the number 1 the opportunity to explain the team’s current situation. Which of course the 32-year-old did in a different tone than many media and many fans are currently doing. For them, the course of the second half of the season was almost a catastrophe, and definitely a big disappointment.
Trapp can understand the negative reactions. “We are also frustrated that we don’t get the results and often don’t perform as well as we can.” But the goalkeeper insists on the fact that despite all the shortcomings, sixth place in the table after 29 match days is a success. “When the transfer window closed in the summer, we knew it would be difficult. Everyone who scored goals last season was gone.” There was talk of a transition season because of the many changes. “We knew we would need time.”
“Big negative cloud over us”
Surprisingly, the team seemed stable after just a few weeks. But the longer the season lasted, the more this stability was lost. What happened? Trapp began his remarks by saying that not everything in football can be explained conclusively. He then gave several clues, but none were so important that they had to lead to this uncomfortable situation, which the goalkeeper himself described as follows: “There is a big negative cloud hanging over us.”
Trapp’s main approach is the many changes in the team formation that coach Dino Toppmöller was forced to make. Through the Africa Cup, through illnesses and injuries to important players. The basic order found in the preliminary round was repeatedly mixed up. In particular, the tried and tested “double six” in defensive midfield Skhiri/Larsson were hardly ever on the field together in 2024.
Five highlight games are coming up
In addition, Skhiri, like Chaibi, returned from the Africa Cup of Nations in significantly weaker form than when he went there. Marmoush also lost some of his scoring threat in Africa. “If every gear doesn’t mesh together, that can have fatal consequences against teams like VfB Stuttgart, then it looks like you could easily score goals against us,” says Trapp. The 3-0 defeat last Saturday was another low point: “If we act like we did in the first half in Stuttgart, we won’t win any more Bundesliga games,” said Trapp self-critically.
Intensity and passion were missing, as in many other encounters before. How come? “When I come into the dressing room, I feel that the team wants it,” says the goalkeeper. For Trapp, the fact that the team can’t implement what it wants is due to mental reasons: “We have to be aware that there are always situations in the game that are not positive and that we just carry on unimpressed when things don’t go well.” His advice to the field players: “Think less, concentrate less on where we are going, but rather that we run and support each other.”
Overall, it is now important to think differently and more positively. “Even the wording that we want to defend sixth place is too negative for me. We want to play internationally again and we have it in our own hands to achieve it. That’s positive.” The team has five highlight games ahead of them that they should look forward to.
The first of these will take place this Friday (8:30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Bundesliga and on DAZN) against FC Augsburg, the closest rival, which is only three points behind Frankfurt. Is this encounter already a final?
“The game is very important, but not a final. Even if we won and extended the lead back to six points, nothing would still be decided. And nothing would be lost in the event of a defeat.” Kevin Trapp carried out his job as PR manager really conscientiously on Tuesday.
