21.03.2023 /
offspring
Our U19s and U17s have successfully completed their seasons in the A and B Junior Bundesliga (Nord/Nordost season). Time for an interim conclusion and an outlook on the upcoming games in the Lower Saxony Cup (U19 against VfL Osnabrück) and the upcoming games in the so-called special game round. You can find out everything you need to know about the current status of our young reds here.
In close contact: U17 coach Steven Turek and U19 coach Dirk Lottner (Photo: 96/Redaktion)
All beginnings are difficult
Our U19s finished the Bundesliga season in a strong fifth place. This success was not foreseeable at the beginning of the season, as coach Dirk Lottner remembers: “We had a short preparation and I also joined the team late. We first had to get to know each other and get used to each other.” The Bundesliga season started with this mortgage.
Sticking point DFB Cup
The start of the season failed, at times the team was even bottom of the table. But then came the cup duel with Werder Bremen. “We fought our way through in the DFB Cup in Bremen, that was exactly the success the team needed.” From then on things went well in the league. “I remember a few games in particular, namely the games that we only won in added time,” recalled Lottner. “We could have conceded the goal and left the field as losers. But my boys prevailed and showed an absolute will to win. Those are the situations that will also help them later in their careers.”
Defensive showpiece
No team has kept a clean sheet more often this Bundesliga season than Hannover 96’s U19s. Dirk Lottner’s team is even second in Germany. Together with the best Bundesliga placement in recent years, a double award? Lottner classifies it accordingly: “Our job is to train young players and introduce them to the U23s. We’ve succeeded this year, we’ll be able to hand eight or nine players over to Daniel Stendel. That’s crucial and that’s what matters. “
Highlight indoor tournament
The REWE Junior Cup during the winter break in Göttingen is particularly memorable. At this largest indoor youth tournament in Europe, our U19s were able to draw attention to themselves as the best German team. “Of course it was a great change for my team,” says Lottner. “The boys always want to measure themselves against the best. The best youth teams from all over Europe competed in Göttingen, and you don’t get to play against them every day. That was a special experience.”
At the end of the season, our U19s convincingly defeated FC St. Pauli 3:0. (Photo: 96/Editorial)
Special game round as a corona measure
The design of the league planning is exceptional this year. As early as 2021, under the impression of the corona pandemic, the football associations decided to end this Bundesliga season after the first half of the season. The idea at the time was to offer the clubs planning security, because the risk of corona-related game cancellations seemed disproportionately high at the time. In order to be able to offer the teams match practice in the spring, a special game round was introduced. This applied to both the U19 and the U17. “The focus was that the teams should also compete against each other across relays, but at the same time have the shortest possible travel distances,” explains Lottner. “First we play at SC Paderborn, then against SC Verl and finally at home in the 96-Akademie against VfL Wolfsburg.”
What does the coach think of this form of friendlies? “For us, this is a mode that makes sense,” says Lottner. “We’re playing against strong opponents and even if the competitive character takes a back seat, the lads want to show themselves. We’re also taking a few players from the U17s with us who get the opportunity to play with the older ones and show off. The age difference is almost three years within the team, that’s huge and helps the younger players.”
Goal of the season: Lower Saxony Cup!
The league is not officially over yet, even though the North/Northeast Season and the other seasons have all played their games. For our U19s, however, there are no more titles to be won in the special game round. Nevertheless, there is still a title to defend! The Lower Saxony Cup is the goal again this year. In the semi-finals, the A-Youth team of VfL Osnabrück (kick-off: Thursday, April 6th at 6:30 p.m. in Osnabrück) stands in the way. “It’s a title we’re keen on again. We definitely want to beat Osnabrück and get into the final to be able to prove that we deserve to defend the title,” says Lottner, aiming for the rest of the season . We keep our fingers crossed and wish our U19 every success!
Relegation for U17
Our U17s also successfully completed their Bundesliga season. With regard to the games after the winter break, that can almost be described as an understatement. Three wins (twice away) and a goal tally of 11:0 (!) underline the quality of this team. Coach Steven Turek doesn’t want to exaggerate that: “We laid the foundation for this final sprint long before that. Everyone contributed to it and can be proud of it.” The offensive in particular has struck this season. With Jean-Paul Ndiaye, Hannover 96 even has the top scorer, and together with Alexander Vogel and Yannick Michaelis, the offensive is the most accurate in the league. “But every goal scorer also has a player who puts the ball on him,” emphasizes Turek, who will be starting a new task in the summer.
Bundesliga as a location factor
In the final ranking of the B-Junior Bundesliga North/Northeast, our boys are in a solid eighth place and were able to successfully dispel the specter of relegation that had threatened in the meantime. In the next season, the youngsters who are moving up can also measure themselves against the competition at Bundesliga level, a decisive factor for players in this age group: “But the placement is only marginally interesting to me. What matters is that I as a coach develop the players,” says Turek. “When I then see how a Monju Thaddäus Momuluh or Nicolo Tresoldi develop and assert themselves in the men’s division, then I know that I played my part in it and I’m still happy with ‘my’ boys years later.”
Our U17 managed to stay up in the league in the end. (Photo: 96/Editorial)
friendlies? there isn’t!
Similar to the A youth, there will also be a special game round in the B youth. Opponents of our U17 are SV Meppen, Preußen Münster and SC Paderborn. How does the U17 deal with the fact that they have managed to stay up and that the upcoming games have the character of a friendly? “I don’t think like that, it’s alien to me,” coach Turek puts a stop to the idea of idleness. “We approach every game with full concentration and full commitment. The lads want and should show themselves and take every opportunity to do so. We are happy and grateful that the DFB has created this mode and can use it as a model for the future imagine it,” said the coach.
outlook
It is now clear what is to come for our youth teams in the U19 and U17. Anyone who would like to see our young Reds live is always welcome at the home games of our teams in the Eilenriede Stadium in the heart of the 96 Academy. Admission is free, but certainly not for free. Our coaches and teams look forward to your support.
The dates for the special rounds of our U19 and U17 can be found here.
