Lars and Sven Bender were national football players, won Olympic silver – and have now been promoted to the district league with TSV Brannenburg. Coach Hans Nietzold on the special feature of having two seasoned ex-professionals in his amateur team.
At the weekend, the TSV Brannenburg soccer team achieved something special: The team secured early promotion from the Inn/Salzach I district class to the district league with a 5-0 win against the pursuer SV Tattenhausen. Also running for Upper Bavaria: the former professionals and national players Lars and Sven Bender, 34. A conversation with the Brannenburg coach Hans Nietzold, 52, about how to integrate such experienced forces into an amateur team, what he learned from both and why the Benders, who started kicking at TSV, still play football.