Ulm’s upheaval before the first touchstone – newcomers start at home

Regionalliga Südwest – 1st matchday

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The Regionalliga Südwest opens its doors on Saturday and the focus will initially be on the big favorites, Kickers Offenbach and SSV Ulm 1846. But apart from this duo, other well-known names are preparing to put their stamp on this season.

“A good start to the season will be extremely important, as it gives you the necessary self-confidence,” says Timo Wenzel, coach of FC 08 Homburg, who the coaches of the Southwest Regional League have confidence in before the start of the new round on Saturday. The Saarlanders are guests at FC Rot-Weiss Koblenz, who have hired a legendary goalkeeper in Oliver Reck as their new head coach. Reck is modest and at the same time specifies the route that should already take effect against Homburg: “Staying in the league is the most important goal for us, we also want to develop as a team, cause a few surprises and annoy the big ones.”

SSV Ulm 1846 is even a bit deeper in the role of favourites. The last year, in which only three points and a goal difference better by 20 goals were missing for promotion, aroused desires and longings. Before these become too overwhelming, coach Thomas Wörle refers to the major personnel changes in the summer: “We have to develop further and find ourselves first.”

Wörle’s conviction

But Wörle didn’t appear to whistle after the music with the sparrows either: “Then we want to attack and try to get the maximum out of it.” Because the Ulm trainer is convinced: “Our squad has certainly become stronger across the board. We have a good squad with potential for development.” The completely renewed SSV can give a first taste of its skills away from 1. FSV Mainz 05 II.

When asked about the championship favorites, the name TSV Steinbach Haiger was mentioned repeatedly. An award for the club, which was still playing in the Kreisoberliga Gießen/Marburg a good ten years ago. Coach Ersan Parlatan sees Kickers Offenbach and Ulm as favorites, but is self-confident at the same time: “But we want to get in touch with these two teams. We don’t have to hide from our squad and we’re just as ambitious.” Paul Stock, who was appointed captain shortly before the start of the season, is to lead the way.

On Saturday, his team is expecting a big breeze, because Sedat Gören is offensively hiring his newly promoted SG Barockstadt Fulda-Lehnerz: “I expect us to quickly accept the new league with the higher pace and much higher intensity, even the strong ones Standing up to opponents, being brave, going for it. We don’t want to appear scared and hide. We want to be a cheeky climber.”

With SV Eintracht Trier (FC-Astoria Walldorf) and SGV Freiberg (VfR Aalen), two other promoted teams also have home rights on Saturday. In addition, FSV Frankfurt plays against TSG Balingen, while Bahlinger SC meets VfB Stuttgart II.

Worms with a big task

The fourth promoted, Wormatia Worms, intervenes on Sunday and promptly has to deal with Kickers Offenbach. The new Wormatia coach Max Mehring knows that staying up in the league can only be the goal. In the opinion of the previous assistant coach at Waldhof Mannheim, this will work best like this: “I expect my team to always play with heart and passion and to invest everything they have in every game.”

His Offenbach colleague Alexander Schmidt has no hesitation in accepting the role of favorite in first place and also demands: “We want to stress the opponent by putting pressure on them and play passionate football. That requires top athletics.” And if the opponents stress back and your own pressure to climb promises to be heavy? No problem for Schmidt, on the contrary: “It’s not pressure for me, it’s stimulus. It motivates me a lot to give people what they long for. That’s one of the reasons why I’m here. Games without pressure bored me as a player. Preferably away from home, where everyone boos you. That’s the best thing!”

Also on Sunday, TSG Hoffenheim II will compete with Hessen Kassel.

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