Seven game days are over and the thought cannot be dismissed out of hand: 96 has so far played with two different teams …
After the 0: 4 in Darmstadt, the Reds fell to 17th place. In the environment, one or the other trembled before the relegation battle. Also because there had already been bitter claps against Rostock (0: 3) and Dresden (0: 2).
It all happened before the international break. Then the Reds won 1-0 against St. Pauli and now 3-0 in Kiel. 96 is the best team of the last two game days (see table) and is only three points behind third place.
Between cellar frustration and victory euphoria in just three weeks. How good are these reds really?
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“I do believe that we now have and show a different face,” says sports director Marcus Mann (38) to BILD. With Gaël Ondoua and Lukas Hinterseer, coach Jan Zimmermann (41) got the desired reinforcements – for the defensive midfield and for the storm center (as a replacement for Marvin Ducksch, who moved to Werder for 3.5 million euros).
In Kiel, eight of the ten newcomers were in the starting line-up – if you include returnees Ron-Robert Zieler, there were even nine.
The new reds look stable and suddenly even make fun with their reversible football. The processes work better and better – is that the trainer’s signature?
Zimmermann says cautiously: “You can see that one or the other player internalizes how to behave. But it was also my signature when we lost 4-0 in Darmstadt. “
The coach and sports director try not to over-talk about the two victories. “We are pleased with the results,” says Mann, “but we will not fall into euphoria now, we have to keep working hard.”
“European Cup, Four Hills Tournament”, sang the fans in Kiel for the first time in a long time. The longing for good football is great – and of course the return to the Bundesliga.
The head of sport moderated them immediately: “In three weeks from a potential relegation candidate to promotion candidate – the game won’t go with me. We can classify that correctly, go on step by step. “
Against Sandhausen on Sunday (1.30 p.m.) the next three should be here. Mann warns: “We always have to be aware that if we take just one step less, it will be punished. That also applies to the next game against Sandhausen. “