– “Not all departures were desired by us”
In an interview, sports director Oliver Kaiser talks about the transfer of Antoine Baroan, the upheaval in the team and says: “We will also miss Samir Ramizi.”
Published today at 5:30 am
Oliver Kaiser says in an interview that the upheaval is normal and why Antoine Baroan is a special transfer.
Photo: Marc Dahinden
Oliver Kaiser, the transfer window is closed, do you now have time to take a breather?
The intensity of the work will certainly decrease somewhat in the short term, although there will be a lot of work to be done that was left behind during this time. And summer will soon be around the corner again.
There was an unusual amount of movement at FCW this winter. Why?
Certain players were a little dissatisfied with our plans, which we have been pursuing since the summer, because they had no or only a supporting role. We were now able to find solutions that made sense for everyone. We also made one or two new additions due to injuries or departures. We are satisfied with our transfer activities.
So is the team better than before the winter break?
(hesitates) I think it was most important that we found a player in Antoine Baroan who matched the profile we were looking for. But there weren’t that many changes. The quality should be comparable to that before.
With Roy Gelmi, Samir Ramizi, Samuel Ballet and Neftali Manzambi, four players from the promotion team left the club. Is there a change taking place at FCW?
We were promoted a year and a half ago and it is part of the normal process that there are changes. But there are also many players in the squad who achieved promotion with us.
Six players from the promotion team still have a role in the team, one of whom is only on loan.
We wanted to stabilize and strengthen ourselves as much as possible. The way we play has also changed, which certainly has something to do with the new direction. But it is also the case that not all departures were wanted and we also wanted to accommodate deserving players.
You mention Samir Ramizi’s move to Neuchâtel Xamax.
Samir has made great contributions to this club and is very valued in the team and in the surrounding area. We always had a very good and open relationship. Samir made his contribution, always supported the team and never let any discontent arise. It wasn’t easy for him to cope with his role. In order for Samir to function as best as possible, he has to be on the pitch; we were no longer able to offer him this fully. We are now happy for him that he can hopefully play every weekend again.
Isn’t the team lacking some emotion and energy after Samir Ramizi’s departure?
Samir actually always brought incredible energy to the pitch. He can inspire a team in the dressing room, on the pitch and off the pitch, so we will all miss him too.
More contracts for players from the promoted team will expire in the summer, are there any trends?
We are currently having some discussions. We’ll see what happens next with one or the other player. Decisions are never made unilaterally; both sides always need the same thing.
Is there a takeover option for Sayfallah Ltaief, Marvin Keller and Alexandre Jankewitz?
They are all great players who have developed very well with us and are very desirable. Whether and to what extent they can play a role in the new season is difficult to answer at this point in time.
With Antoine Baroan you have for once brought in a player who was not known in Switzerland, but who is in form and did not need to be built up first. How were you able to attract such a player to FCW?
It’s a transfer where a lot of things just fell into place at the moment. Antoine Baroan had various options, but was particularly convinced by our sporting project. We had good conversations, which ultimately tipped the scales in our favor.
How did you come across him?
We are constantly offered players from all over the world. We also use our network and monitor the market with the resources available to us. The transfer system always involves a lot of effort, although the output is relatively low. You don’t make a transfer like this overnight. We’re glad it worked.
What do you expect from him?
He has shown that he can score goals, which is a very good prerequisite. Antoine is very strong and has a good physique. He is also a very open person and will quickly find his way around us. But we shouldn’t expect miracles from Antoine. He has to get healthy first, and then we will install him step by step.
You say it, Baroan is hurt. Did you miss something on the medical test?
No, it was a stupid coincidence and some bad luck. That wasn’t foreseeable.
With Baroan you also sent a signal to the competition: “We don’t just bring in players whose careers are a bit stalled.” And then he immediately hurts himself. Did the injury affect you personally?
I think the fact that we currently don’t have a healthy center forward made it harder to accept. But it’s no use complaining. You have to accept it and look forward.
Boubacar Fofana is the ballet replacement. But what are your thoughts on Adrian Durrer?
We have many variations on offense. Defensively we are a little thinner at times. The season still lasts a few weeks and with Adrian Durrer we have more options in the central axis. Adrian has great potential and is also an interesting player for us in the future.
So with the ulterior motive of a definitive takeover in the summer.
Certainly an idea that we will deal with in the coming weeks.
Finally, let’s talk about the sporting situation. Despite a few failures, the team is doing well. She is in 7th place, only two points below the line, and she is still in the cup. Did you expect this?
The important thing for me is that the points we have are all deserved. This gives us the peace and confidence that we will achieve our goals for the season. The current ranking is just a snapshot, everything is very close together, and there are all teams in the bottom third of the table that can score points regularly.
But the development is impressive. How did you manage to make the step from a blatant outsider to a club in the lower midfield?
We were certainly able to improve the quality of the squad across the board. We also have a trainer who does an excellent job with his staff. First and foremost, the current results are a credit to the coach, his staff and every player who gets the best out of themselves in their role.
Gregory von Ballmoos is a sports editor. He completed his diploma training at the Media Training Center (MAZ) and writes mainly about FC Winterthur.More information@GvonBallmoos
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2024-02-17 04:30:47
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