The reports of the injuries to Luca Waldschmidt and Davie Selke shocked 1. FC Köln. Coach Timo Schultz now takes their competitors to task, but does not use other attackers such as talented Jaka Potocnik in training.
Cologne coach Timo Schultz has to replan the attack. IMAGO/Herbert Bucco
After all the devastating news of the past few days and weeks, this at least gives hope: midfielder Dejan Ljubicic and left-back Leart Paqarada are back in training at 1. FC Köln and are fully resilient. This means that coach Timo Schultz has his entire squad back together except for three offensive players, but the absences of Mark Uth, Davie Selke and Luca Waldschmid are serious.
Schultz probably has no choice but to take refuge in expedient optimism. “I’m sure we can compensate for it as a team. It’s also an opportunity for us to move even closer together. We’ll need everyone here: from number 1 to number 38,” says the 46-year-old.
Selke’s failure creates a dramatic hole
But he will know very well that the three attackers are difficult to replace: center forward Selke has always been used lately, Waldschmidt is definitely invigorating when he comes on. And Uth is an outstanding creative player for Cologne – when he is fit. But all three are not, once again. “This is a chance for others to show that they are at least as good,” believes Schultz.
The upcoming tasks in Cologne
Selke’s failure in particular tears a dramatic hole in the FC squad. With five goals, the 27-year-old is not only the top goalscorer, but also the most important target player in the attack. Steffen Tigges and Florian Dietz are now available for the role of center forward. The latter has only been used in a competitive game twice this season, while Tigges has played twelve times. With a kicker grade point average of 4.9. “If we look at our training group, we have enough players who can play front and center,” says Schultz. But quantity is not the same as quality.
Tigges or Dietz – or both together?
So how do you attack in the future, for example on Saturday against Borussia Dortmund (3:30 p.m., LIVE! on kicker)? “Everything is conceivable,” emphasizes the Cologne coach. You could play with two more playful strikers, or “with two target players”. In this case, not Dietz or Tigges, but both together. “I’ve already done that. It’s also unpleasant for the opponent when there are two tankers in front,” explains Schultz. The only question is whether the Dietz/Tigges duo is capable of making life difficult for the BVB defense, for example.
It is more likely that Schultz will initially act with a target player and leave the three-man chain with Jan Thielmann, Florian Kainz and Linton Maina together, which worked quite well against Heidenheim (1:1). The hapless but committed Justin Diehl could also move into the starting line-up for the weak Maina. And Sargis Adamyan, who was substituted six times at the start of the season until he fell out of favor, is still in the squad.
Potocnik is slowly being introduced to the team
But there are still a few units to complete before then. But Schultz doesn’t want to bring additional offensive players into training. “We still have a few fantastic players in the U21s,” he says, but young striker Joao Pinto, for example, shouldn’t be promoted.
Neither does Jaka Cuber Potocnik. The 18-year-old Slovenian is banned until mid-March following the drama surrounding FIFA’s transfer ban following his move to the Rhineland. At least during training the attacker could get used to the level of the professionals. But the plans look different. “Jaka was mostly with the U19, the next step is the U21, i.e. men’s football,” explains Schultz and explains: “He can also take part in all the test games. It’s worth more to him to be able to play games, which is also a further step. The club’s plan is exactly the right one.”
2024-01-16 18:20:40
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