TSV 1860 Munich is a “great club that doesn’t belong in the third division” – that was a quote from Dresden coach Markus beginning shortly after the game on Saturday in the Grünwalder Stadium. The “also” in this remark probably referred to their own team: Dynamo Dresden is top of the league after ten games, and almost everyone expects the traditional team from Saxony to be playing in the second division again soon.
At Sixty the situation is a little different, even if the Munich team had just wrested a goalless draw from the favorites. So much praise from the top of the table was at least a welcome assist for the Lions coach, who has been increasingly criticized in recent days. “We are in the process, it takes time,” said Maurizio Jacobacci. The Dresden coach and his team got this time. So: Look what’s possible if you just let me!
Over the course of the now-ended English week in the third division, one couldn’t shake the feeling that Jacobacci, 60, was currently on a promotional tour for himself. After the tired 0-1 loss to newly promoted SSV Ulm during the week, he had already mentioned that the team needed time and had used the wind as a factor a few times too often. Before the game against Dresden he had already spoken about Markus beginning. Jacobacci thought he was “clever” and “praised Sixty until it couldn’t be done anymore.” Then the Swiss coach gave an almost ten-minute justification monologue in the Munich team’s service and made it clear, rather unsuccessfully, that he was not looking for excuses for the Ulm game.
“Not because of the wind, not because of my hair, not because of the pyrotechnics” they lost – a statement that suggests that he took the attacks against his coaching work a little personally. It is not known whether he had already been told by those responsible that his time in Munich could come to an end if the failure continued. In general, it’s like this at Sixty: The biggest fireworks would only be set off when the trainer actually had to leave. The two deeply divided shareholders would then have to sit down together to find a successor.
Jacobacci relies on the defense – which he can at least rely on to some extent
The sixty fans obviously have a clear opinion about the coach. This time there were even no comments on the internal political squabbles in the club; this time only Jacobacci was attacked. Shortly before halftime it was read in the west corner: “If the fireworks only crash in the stands, then a coach is out of place.” There were no fireworks against Dresden again, that was a long way off. But there was even cautious applause at the half-time and final whistle. It’s almost as if the majority of the fans have come to terms with the fact that there is simply little coming from their own team offensively this year.
Joel Zwarts had once again shown his skills. But nothing more. For a long time, the Dutch attacker was unable to get a shot on goal against the lively Dresden defenders. In the 54th minute of the game, however, he found the right path, a cross from Erol Zejnullahu reached his head, but the finish was too imprecise. And in the 64th minute the finish was too weak to cause problems for goalkeeper Stefan Drljaca. “Sure, the main focus today was on defense,” said defender Leroy Kwadwo. Jacobacci simply relies on what he can reasonably rely on. The team has only conceded ten goals in ten games, and that 1-0 defeat in Ulm was actually carried into the corner of the goal by the wind.
But the Sixties have only scored eleven goals and there is currently no end in sight to the significant offensive problems. Creative player Albion Vrenezi is in a slump in form, Zwarts has too few chances and substitute Fynn Lakenmacher didn’t find his way into the game at all on Saturday. A ray of hope is Morris Schröter, who was back in the starting line-up after a muscle injury – and posed the most danger with one-on-one actions.
But that wasn’t “fireworks” either. “It really hurt me to take him out,” said Jacobacci about the planned change, which had been agreed upon with the physiotherapists. It probably also hurt because Jacobacci suspected that there wouldn’t be much more from his team. But at least against Dresden the glass was half full after the first draw of the season. However, next Sunday away from Preußen Münster, a draw could lead to unrest again.