The victory of 1. FC Köln against Mainz shows that those responsible have rightly remained calm. FC is taking the right path with Lukas Kwasniok.
At half-time in the game between the 1. FC Cologne and Mainz 05, many FC fans saw some headlines coming up when the score was 0-1: “Welcome to the relegation battle” or “Now it’s getting tight for Kwasniok” would have been quite fitting. But Lukas Kwasniok found the right solutions in the dressing room and was one of the winners of the game after 90 minutes.
The 2-1 was proof of one of the qualities that sports director Thomas Kessler saw in Kwasniok: the so-called in-game coaching, i.e. the influence on the team during the game. FC had already played a much better second half in Heidenheim and almost won the game. Now the “almost” became “finally”.
The relief after more than two months: FC can still win. Thanks to Ragnar Ache’s perfect substitute role with two goals, thanks to Kwasniok’s tactical switch to a back four, thanks to Tom Krauß’ substitution for the indisposed Eric Martel, thanks to Alessio Castro-Montes, who has been playing like a substitute since the training camp.
FC showed qualities in the second half that have nothing to do with being a relegation candidate. Those in charge around Kessler had trusted Kwasniok during the crisis and supported the head coach despite the pressure. This support paid off on Saturday. The second 45 minutes were proof that FC are on the right track.
But also how far there is still to go on this path. Because the first 45 minutes were exactly the opposite. Kwasniok will learn lessons from this, and it would not be surprising if the playing times of some players change significantly in the coming weeks. Depending on which new arrivals come in January, some players will have to worry about their places.
With 20 points, FC is now seven points clear of the relegation zone. That doesn’t offer any security after the 18th matchday. Nevertheless, the billy goats have now built up a lead over the most dangerous places, which should provide peace of mind. And the courage to be able to play more freely again in the coming weeks.
