Winless for 14 games
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Gladbach coach Eugen Polanski was very disappointed after his team’s performance at Union Berlin. “A very sobering evening for us. We put in a lot of effort, even more than in the first three Bundesliga games under my direction,” said the 39-year-old after the 1:3 (1:2) at the An der Alten Försterei stadium.
“We lose the game in the first 15 minutes,” said the ex-professional angrily. His team knew what was coming. The aim was to avoid the creation of standard situations. In the end, two Union goals came more or less directly from standards. “When I see the corner being created that makes it 1-0, it’s the opposite of what we wanted to do,” said the previous interim coach. On “Sky” he said: “He just runs through without any physical contact. That’s too cheap for me, that’s punished in the Bundesliga.”
The team from the Lower Rhine slipped to last place in the table for at least one night. Across all seasons, the Foals have not won in the league for 14 games – a negative record in the club’s history. It is also “always a question of mentality,” emphasized Polanski. The new sports director Rouven Schröder, who watched the game live in the stands in Berlin, had the foal coach’s back before the game.
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“Basically there is the conviction that Eugen is our coach. Of course it is completely clear that we also need results. What is important is that we see things, that the team does not fall apart, that the team tries to implement the things we have set out to do,” said Schröder after the defeat in the “Sportschau”. He had previously emphasized on “Sky” that there was no time window for a decision. “I got a very good impression of him from the outside. The first discussions went very well,” said Schröder. His feeling had to be confirmed. “I’m there every day now and I feel it even more. The experience over the years is very helpful so that you can get the impression.”
Polanski, however, counted himself after the final whistle. “I see myself as part of the whole. We have changed something, but in the end the results have to be achieved,” said the ex-Bundesliga professional on “Sky”. But he was also able to enjoy every game. “We have a lot of peace internally and can work very well. With Rouven I’ve got a new contact person,” says Polanski. The first exchange was very good. “We didn’t have much time to discuss. You can tell from what he said to me and the team that he is very experienced. We are glad he is there.”
Schröder is planning squad adjustments at Borussia Mönchengladbach
The coach didn’t want to talk about a relegation battle yet. He is convinced that his team will do better against Bayern Munich next weekend. “Apparently we need to bring in more fire before the game. Maybe they are too quiet as characters,” said the coach. “Then I see it as my and our job to define a little more clearly how we have to go into the game.” The expectations of the new sports director are not great. “I don’t think we’re the favorites against Bayern. But we’re playing at home, the game starts zero-nil. Absolute passion, willingness to try to defend every ball. And to be brave – just playing at the back isn’t enough against Bayern,” said Schröder.
Defense is also likely to be a focus when looking for reinforcements in the coming winter transfer window. “We can still improve in quality defensively. If it’s the right player, perhaps in anticipation of the summer, then the management is in a position to say that we’re happy to do that. I’m also a fan of reducing the squad again. It can give a team a boost if the competition is even more extreme,” explained Schröder. In general, however, we have “a team that is full of young players but also experience. When the injured players come back, we have a really good team.”
