1. FC Köln: Steffen Baumgart would have “expected more” from Sargis Adamyan

Cologne coach sees a positive trend

1. FC Köln paid TSG Hoffenheim 1.5 million euros for Sargis Adamyan’s services in the summer. The 29-year-old center forward has only been able to assert himself to a limited extent at “Effzeh” and has only started three times in the Bundesliga. Coach Steffen Baumgart would have liked more from the Armenian, but still sees a positive trend.

“I think we all expected a bit more,” said the 51-year-old “Express” quoted. Above all, looking at the goal tally has been sobering so far. Adamyan has two goals and four assists in 28 appearances across all competitions. Since the World Cup break, the attacker has only been allowed to play 123 minutes. Nevertheless, Baumgart sees progress: “You have to say: When Sargis came, he wasn’t in the condition he is now – in terms of athletics and physical condition. Sargis works very well, has become clearer, the processes work better. That’s why we keep bringing him in.”

Reasons for the short playing time lie more in the other personal details: “The situation at the moment is such that we start with either Tiggi (Steffen Tigges; d. Red) or Davie (Selke). And as a second striker, Linton (Maina) is doing very, very well from our point of view.” There is only little room for Adamyan – although Cologne have not scored five times in the last six Bundesliga games.

With Adamyan, Baumgart still wanted to “have patience. Of course we would have been happy if he scored more goals. But from my point of view we are on a completely normal, sensible path. Especially with our style of play, one or the other needs a little longer to get used to it. This can not be done overnight.”

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