Bundesliga 2 - Koschinat's debut: "Very heavy and very bitter"
He was signed on Monday as a beacon of hope, but four days and one game later, Uwe Koschinat had to watch from a few meters away as his players were booed and abused by the fans. The initial effect of the change of coach at second division bottom club VfL Osnabrück has fizzled out impressively. "Of course I noticed the fans' reaction, which is absolutely justified," said Koschinat after the 4-0 defeat in the basement clash at FC Schalke 04: "That was a very, very heavy and very, very bitter defeat. And, logically, not at all the start I had imagined."
His team's appallingly despondent performance, particularly in attack, made one thing clear to Koschinat: "This won't be an easy task." VfL are now nine points behind Schalke, who were in the relegation places before the matchday, two more than they have won in 15 games. And the last two games of the year are against league leaders FC St. Pauli and Schalke's recently improved fellow relegated team Hertha BSC. Hopes may have already sunk to a minimum during the winter break.
"We have to remind the players of what the club has achieved," said Koschinat with a view to the emotional last-minute promotion in May: "We have to defend that with much more energy." After the defeats this season, however, the team had "noticed that they are carrying quite a psychological baggage with them."
Promotion coach Tobias Schweinsteiger was suspended for the change in mood and Koschinat was brought in. But he has to work on fundamental things. "I know that the group is very much defined by the footballing approach," he said: "But in the 2nd division, that is answered by strong opponents." His task now is to "find a way to combine a good defense and more penetration." The first part of the mission was a resounding failure.
Information on the match at bundesliga.de
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Source: www.stern.de
