Soccer Bundesliga - Holstein Kiel training kick-off: The adventure begins
Holstein Kiel has started the adventure of Football-Bundesliga. Nearly 600 spectators watched the training debut of the promoter. The event was relocated from the local youth performance center to the sports facility of the neighboring Gettorfer SC due to high visitor numbers.
"The excitement is huge. We want to carry over the euphoria of the past months and stay as faithful as possible to our playing style in the upper house," said regular goalkeeper Timon Weiner, who had 14 clean sheets in the previous series of "Weiße-Weste-King" in the 2. Liga.
Four newcomers at Holstein Kiel
In the newly formed squad of coach Marcel Rapp were also the four new signings Phil Harres (22/striker from Südwest-Regionalligist FC Homburg), Andu Yobel Kelati (21/offensive talent from TSG Hoffenheim II), Max Geschwill (22/defensive all-rounder from Drittligist SV Sandhausen), and Magnus Knudsen (23/FK Rostov, on loan to the Danish first league Aarhus GF in the previous series). The Norwegian could slip into the role of the former captain Philipp Sander, who switched to Borussia Mönchengladbach. Contract lengths and possible release clauses had the Kiel management, as usual, not disclosed.
"The majority of the squad is present"
In addition to the departures of Joshua Mees, Mikkel Kirkeskov (both Preußen Münster), Lucas Wolf (SV Sandhausen), and Niklas Niehoff (loan to VfL Osnabrück), the two loan returns Kwasi Okyere Wriedt (VfL Osnabrück) and Ba-Muaka Simakala (1. FC Kaiserslautern) were also missing. "We have informed both players and their agents very early on that we do not plan to work with them in the new season," said sports business manager Carsten Wehlmann. There is consensus that "both initially do not belong to the training group. Both are currently released for training discussions."
The 51-year-old Wehlmann plans with a similar squad size as in the promotion season (24 field players and three goalkeepers). "The majority of the squad is present. We are currently looking for reinforcements for the left side," said Wehlmann. The reason is the expected loss of the left full-back Tom Rothe (19), whose one-year loan with Borussia Dortmund has not been extended yet.
Tom Rothe is hardly to be held on to
"We were and are aware that Tom Rothe drew attention to himself with his excellent season and awakened desires," said Wehlmann. "Naturally, we would like to see him with us again in the new season. However, we find ourselves in competition with clubs that have other possibilities than us." The new squad undergoes its first test on Saturday (15.30 Uhr) in Rendsburg against the Danish second league team B.93 Kopenhagen. From July 27 to August 4, the team goes to the training camp in Seefeld in Austria. The first league cup game is on August 17 (18,00 Uhr) against Alemannia Aachen. The first league matches start on the weekend of 23-25 August.
- Despite Holstein Kiel's entry into the Soccer Bundesliga, VfL Osnabrück's left-back Tom Rothe remains uncertain about his future due to interest from other clubs.
- In the new Bundesliga season, Tom Rothe's potential departure could leave a gap on the left side, requiring the team to search for reinforcements.
- The new signing Max Geschwill, a defensive all-rounder from Drittligist SV Sandhausen, could be a potential replacement for Rothe given his versatile skills.
- Meanwhile, in the Schleswig-Holstein region, FC Homburg's striker Phil Harres has joined Holstein Kiel, looking to replicate his success in the 2. Liga.
- In the same vein, the promotion of Holstein Kiel has spurred interest in Soccer Bundesliga among clubs in Germany, with possibly more promotions following in the coming years.
- FK Rostov's Magnus Knudsen stays in Germany on loan, with hopes of using his experience to bolster Holstein Kiel's squad during their Bundesliga adventures.
