Cologne (dpa) – After the resurrection of his team, which many did not consider possible, Ole Werner did not want to put any pressure on his physically exhausted players.
True to the motto: The ascent is not an obligation. “The pressure is on Cologne,” said the Holstein Kiel coach after the 1-0 (0-0) in the relegation first leg at 1. FC Köln: “We’re in the second division. If something is added, it’s good. If not, everything stays the same. “
That would basically be anything but a failure, but would be extremely bitter after a great season of the storks with the semi-final entry in the cup, after a coup against FC Bayern Munich and a brilliant catch-up after double Corona quarantine. Since he has experienced several times how quickly everything can turn, Werner also resisted the temptation to feel only partially safe before the second leg on Saturday in Kiel.
“Just halfway through”
“It’s not a match point yet. It’s only just half-time,” said the 33-year-old, whose team initially lost promotion to the direct Bundesliga with two defeats in the season finale: “It will stay hot until the last second. We know how difficult the task is. “
After the physical and mental strain in a month full of catching up games, most of the experts had expected a reasonably easy game for the Cologne residents, who were also euphoric by a little catch-up. But the Kielers showed their toughness. “We defended with the utmost passion,” praised Werner.
The conclusion that his team had not done that in the previous two games angered the youngest head coach in German professional football. “It is always the case with you that you look at the scoreboard and then it was a good or a bad game,” he grumbled at the journalists: “In terms of heart and passion, I saw no difference.”
Sharpened the mind of the player
Old hand Fin Bartels (34), whose return to his hometown at the end of his career could end as a little football fairy tale, confirmed that Werner had sharpened the players’ senses again. “It was actually the case that we focused again on not missing the first minutes of the second half again.” Bartels’ analysis of the initial situation was almost identical to that of his trainer. “Half the way, the first stage is gone,” he said: “But there is still a long way to go.”
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