So far he has had a season to forget. But in the 2-1 win against Bochum, Steffen Tigges brought 1. FC Köln back into the game. Now he could move closer to the team again.
Scream of relief: Steffen Tigges scored the 1-1 equalizer against VfL Bochum – his first goal this season. picture alliance / Kirchner Media
When coach Timo Schultz spoke about his striker Steffen Tigges at the 1. FC Köln training camp in Algorfa, Spain, many observers were probably reminded of Helmut Schmidt. “Anyone who has visions should go to the doctor,” the former Chancellor, who died in 2015, once said. And now it seemed that Schultz also had a pretty unrealistic idea in the kicker interview. “Both will become extremely important,” Schultz predicted to his protégé Tigges and his striker colleague Florian Dietz, “even if it’s just a decisive action.”
But Tigges seemed as far away from that as Bayern was from the championship trophy this season. During his short appearances for Cologne, the striker sometimes made slapstick-like appearances, made the simplest passes seem to jump all the way into the Rhine and therefore occasionally sat in the stands. His impressively poor grade average in the five rated games this season: 4.9. But last Saturday, Schultz’s vision became reality: the 1.93 meter tall attacker headed in an exemplary manner a corner from Florian Kainz at the near post to make it 1-1 against VfL Bochum, then screamed all the frustration out of his head and laid his Hit the cornerstone for the 2-1 win in the last minute.
Schultz spoke of a two-man storm – and relied on others
“It was an explosion of emotions,” said Tigges afterwards, “because the knot has broken and we have put ourselves in a position where we have everything in our own hands again.” He spoke like this about the situation at 1. FC Köln, but the first part of his statement would also have fit perfectly with his personal situation. Because the billy goats’ crisis is running parallel to that of Steffen Tigges this season.
Tigges was in the starting line-up 17 times last season under coach Steffen Baumgart, scored six goals and two assists and, for example, shone with a 45-meter artificial shot in the spectacular 7-1 triumph against Werder Bremen. That was a total of 1,594 minutes of action, this season there are only 448. And that despite the fact that regular center forward Davie Selke was repeatedly missing with injuries, as was Luca Waldschmidt for a long time. But Tigges was left out: Although Schultz spoke of a two-man storm Tigges/Dietz a few days after he took office in January, he preferred to rely on other attackers. First on Jan Thielmann, who was recently retrained as a right-back. Then finally Sargis Adamyan, who had also previously been eliminated and now pushed Tigges into the role of third or fourth striker.
The “Tigginator” holds no grudges
“It helps me not to let a situation like that get to me,” said Tigges, often called “Tigginator” half affectionately, half mockingly, after his first goal of the season against VfL. His colleagues always had his back. “So I’m happy that I was able to give something back to the team and the fans.” Modest words that make you believe Tigges and that no resentment will cloud your review of the past few weeks.
Despite all the sporting misery, the striker showed how positively he dealt with his personal lows in training and off the pitch. “Always positive, always optimistic,” said the blonde boy, said Schultz and praised: “Even in training, he is someone who always puts his foot down and sacrifices himself for the team.” As a ball-safe wall player – which Selke, who is now injured again, is otherwise – Tigges has qualities as well as in the air. “He made an exclamation mark, that’s how you imagine it,” said Schultz, not missing the reference to his own announcement: “We always said that he could contribute his strengths.”
Who will storm next to Adamyan?
The upcoming tasks in Cologne
Maybe also in the coming games? In any case, Selke has to be replaced, but with Waldschmidt, who headed the decisive 2-1, another competitor is fit again. And against FC Bayern, who host 1. FC Köln in the Allianz Arena on Saturday, Schultz is more likely to be back on pace at the top alongside the undisputed Adamyan.
But it is quite possible that Tigges will become important again: if, for example, against Darmstadt or Mainz in the season finale, 1. FC Köln have more ball possession and the Schlaks is needed in the penalty area. “You shouldn’t underestimate this team because they have a cohesion and a character that is unique,” enthuses Tigges. Above all, that sounded like a big thank you for the support of my colleagues. But also a little after an announcement: 1. FC Köln will still be a force to be reckoned with in the relegation battle.
2024-04-09 15:30:23
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