Bundesliga
Cologne crisis recipe: “Get your ass up,” hope for derbies
Coach Steffen Baumgart is in crisis with 1. FC Cologne. photo
© Marius Becker/dpa
One point from six games – 1. FC Köln’s start was a complete failure. But the mood has not yet changed. Whether it stays that way will be decided in the following two derbies.
The emotional coach was seen arguing unusually often during the game. He kept stroking his beard or pulling his flat cap off his head and running his hand through his hair.
The fact that they only got one point from six mostly decent Bundesliga games is currently puzzling many in Cologne. “I don’t want to say the same thing every week,” said Baumgart: “It’s a shitty situation for all of us when you put in such effort and don’t even come close to rewarding yourself. It’s not always easy to find the right words .”
Baumgart’s declaration of war
But he found it again shortly afterwards, as well as his fighting spirit, with which the coach has been driving forward in Cologne for more than two years. “I’m not going to stand here and bash everything. But I don’t say anything nice either,” said Baumgart: “There’s only one point, that’s a fact. But we won’t hide. We’ll continue to get our asses up and around every centimeter and fight for the necessary points.”
What the coach can currently rely on: The mood in the sensitive FC environment has not yet changed. After the 2-0 defeat by Stuttgart’s double goalscorer Deniz Undav (88th), an unusual escape from the stands began in the seats. But during the game, despite the third defeat in the third home game, there were virtually no whistles, and after the game the team even celebrated extensively in front of the south curve.
“I’m pleased that the boys have been given courage,” said Baumgart: “There’s no other way at the moment.” But the coach also knows that unconditional support will be put to the test in October. Now the derbies against league leaders Leverkusen and against Mönchengladbach follow, which are the most important games of the season for the fans anyway. This is followed by the away task in Leipzig.
Support for the trainer
“Whether the support remains good depends on how the boys work on the pitch,” said Baumgart. But regardless of performance: If FC still has one point after nine games, things could get really uncomfortable in Cologne. Even if only to a limited extent personally for Baumgart, because the coach still seems untouchable.
He also received support on Saturday from his Stuttgart colleague Sebastian Hoeneß. “I saw a lot of Cologne games beforehand,” he said: “They were all close. There was only one game where I said it was okay that they didn’t get any points. That was confirmed again. That was today a really happy win.”
But the question is: Aren’t many people in Cologne making it easy when they blame the results on bad luck and a lack of efficiency? Or is it not much more a question of quality? One thing is clear: the derbies are a risk in the current situation – but also an opportunity to brighten the mood. “We’re at FC. We all know what the derbies mean to people,” said striker Davie Selke: “I think this is also a chance to make up for a lot.”
Sports director Christian Keller added. “Basically, every game is an opportunity. And that’s how we approach it.” And with a view to the away game against their currently outstanding neighbors Bayer Leverkusen, he remarked: “Last year we won there. And the year before last too.”