Year after year it’s the same: Whenever the daffodils bloom and the amphibians have spawned, Germany’s football journalists dare to take on a discipline that’s unfamiliar to them: interpreting facial expressions. Basically, seven basic emotions can be distinguished in this discipline, from joy to contempt. But when it comes to the specific object of observation, Freiburg coach Christian Streich, then a single clear facial expression would be enough for the interpreters these days.
The annual question about Streich’s contract extension for another season is being asked earlier this time than usual. And before the crocuses bloom instead of the daffodils, the mimic interpreters are hoping for a clue that will undoubtedly indicate that the 58-year-old will also be in 2024 /’25 will train his sports club. Streich experts are currently placing high bets that the club will announce at the beginning of next week that Streich will be heading into his 13th season as head coach. Ultimately, reading the trainer’s facial expressions is like looking at coffee grounds: you won’t be much smarter after reading them.
The fact that Streich looked somewhat shocked at the press conference in London on Thursday evening did not allow any reliable conclusions to be drawn. And it didn’t help much to know that the band “The Clash” had written their most famous song just a few miles from the venue, the London Stadium, and that this song had the very, very appropriate title: “Should I stay or should I go?” Christian Streich had to comment on a heavy 5-0 defeat at West Ham United in London and Freiburg’s bitter exit from the Europa League after a 1-0 win in the first leg.
“Next week we’ll tell you what it looks like. It could be: Monday or Tuesday”
But for someone like Streich, who sometimes looks like it’s been raining for seven days even after triumphant victories, it doesn’t mean much if his voice becomes quiet and his facial features freeze after such a weak defensive performance. “Next week we’ll say what it looks like. It could be: Monday or Tuesday,” said Streich on the contract question. And his comment that this question is “not that important” does not necessarily mean that he will announce his departure.
One would be very surprised if Streich left the club he loves just after a season that, as things stand, will be one of the weaker ones in the last SC decade. The remaining program in the league is comparatively simple – apart from the games against Leipzig and now this Sunday (3.30 p.m.) against Leverkusen – but qualifying for a European competition again could only be achieved with a catch-up effort. 13 points currently separate the sports club from Leipzig and fifth place, which would again be enough for the Europa League. The Conference League and Eintracht Frankfurt are already seven points away.
There were already five: West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus (right) scores to make it 5-0 against SC Freiburg.
(Photo: Dylan Martinez/Reuters)
However, for Freiburg, a midfield position like the current eighth place wouldn’t be anything that would cause an uproar within the club. Those responsible for SC have long since noticed that expectations in the area have increased after two years of European Cup competition. But it is understandable that things are not going well this season. On the one hand, this time the transfers didn’t go as well as usual: Returnee Maximilian Philipp hasn’t got going yet; Junior Adamu, one of the most expensive transfers in SC history, is no longer even part of the squad. And the most prominent attacker, Michael Gregoritsch, was in poor form for a long time. Freiburg was also plagued by bad luck with injuries; at times three central defenders were affected at the same time.
Another explanation is that Freiburg decided before the season to bring young players like Jordy Makengo, Merlin Röhl, Noah Weißhaupt and Kiliann Sildillia closer to the regular places. A path typical for the location, which naturally pays off in the medium rather than short term. Mistakes are priced in – bravely this time also with the goalkeeper.
The 0:5 in London was not just due to the “outstanding individual quality” of the opponent
The fact that junior national goalkeeper Noah Atubolu was proclaimed the future German national goalkeeper in some places even before his first league game had annoyed no one more than those responsible for Freiburg. Their courage to make a 21-year-old number one after the departure of Mark Flekken should not be overburdened by excessive expectations. In fact, Atubolu, who made frequent mistakes at the start of the season, is now well on his way to justifying the trust and becoming a good Bundesliga keeper in two or three years. The Freiburg native has already improved on the line and is well trained as a footballer.
However, Atubolu has to work on a weakness that, with the exception of Flekken, all Freiburg goalkeepers of the past decade (Alexander Schwolow, Florian Müller) have had: his zone of influence in the penalty area is also limited to a few centimeters in front of the baseline; Even crosses that are directed close to the goal and hit the “second post” often become a danger. In addition, Atubolu’s front men haven’t always looked confident recently. The 0:5 in London was not only due to the “outstanding individual quality” of the opponent, which Streich had registered. But also because West Ham’s goalscorers Kudus (2), Paqueta, Bowen and Creswell were allowed to do what they did quite freely.