Lübeck sports director - Harms on the crisis: "Five to six points too few"
VfB Lübeck are entering the final spurt of the year in the 3rd Football League with a tense mood. "Based on our position in the table, we are not completely satisfied, which is logical," sports director Sebastian Harms told the German Press Agency. After 17 match days, the promoted team is only 17th in the table. "I think we put in a very decent performance in many games, but overall we simply played a lot of draws and came up five or six points short from the opportunities we had."
After a strong start to the season with five points from the first three matches, Lübeck suffered a series of setbacks, including a 3-0 defeat at fellow promoted side SSV Ulm and a 4-0 loss at SC Verl. The Hanseatic side have picked up just two points in their last five games. Three points currently separate Lübeck from the first non-relegation place.
In addition to last-minute goals against, such as recently in Duisburg and against Saarbrücken, Lübeck has also been unlucky with refereeing decisions on several occasions. The current results have also put coach Pfeiffer in trouble. Yet the confidence in the 32-year-old promotion coach could not be greater: Because VfB still pays a fine of 2,500 euros per match, as Pfeiffer lacks the required soccer coaching license.
"We believe that we can achieve the turnaround together, but regardless of that, it is also clear in this phase that sometimes dynamics can occur that are unforeseeable. In such cases, you always have to reassess the situation," said Harms. "Of course, in our situation, we have to keep our eyes on the prize. We can't buy anything in the long term just from good performances. Lukas will also have to rise to the challenge."
VfB want to make winter transfers dependent on the length of their own injury list. The departure of goalkeeper Florian Kirschke is already certain. The 31-year-old will end his career in the winter due to back problems.
"We will definitely fill this position from outside," said Harms. VfB are also concerned about Felix Drinkuth, who has suffered his second serious knee injury of the season, and new signing Hanno Behrens, who has yet to play a competitive match. "We are thinking about the central midfield and the offense if Behrens and Drinkuth are out for longer," said Harms.
Former HSVer Behrens, who has made 210 second division appearances for Darmstadt 98, 1. FC Nürnberg and Hansa Rostock in his career, came to the Lohmühle in the summer as the king transfer from Persija Jakarta. "It's well known that he had health problems in Indonesia. But that was mainly of a physical nature there," said Harms. After two weeks of training at VfB, "his entire system had shut down", said the 45-year-old. "Injuries kept piling up and he wasn't doing well mentally during that phase either. We have to work with him in many facets in the background to get him fit to train and play again."
The 33-year-old Behrens could certainly help Lübeck with his experience on the pitch. But even so, VfB boss Harms is certain: "We are totally convinced that we will stay in the league and have not given any thought to the regional league so far." One thing is also clear: "Relegation would always result in cuts, but the economic existence of the club is not dependent on the division."
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Source: www.stern.de
