Lukasz Kwasniok has had a respectable third of the season with 1. FC Köln and is in a decent tenth place in the table with the Domstadt team after twelve match days. Now the Cologne head coach has drawn an initial interim conclusion himself.
The 44-year-old first emphasized how special the big task 1. FC Köln has been for him since he took up the head coaching job in Müngersdorf in the summer.
“The combination of Cologne and the Bundesliga made it attractive. Also because I had the feeling that I could do something with the new sporting leadership and a lot is moving,” Lukasz Kwasniok explained in an interview with the “kicker” why he really wanted to move to the Rhineland in the summer after four years at SC Paderborn, even though he had actually been thinking about taking a break as a coach.
“This idea gave me energy. It was like with the e-charging stations: at some you charge your car for ages, at others incredibly quickly. In this case the FC was a turbocharger,” Kwasniok gave a special comparison.
The Effzeh coach has a clear goal in mind for his new club: to re-establish 1. FC Köln as a Bundesliga club as quickly as possible. “There can be no taboos,” he added, citing SC Freiburg, Elversberg or international surprise teams like Mjällby (Sweden) and Bodö/Glimt (Norway) as worthwhile examples for the Bundesliga returnees.
For Kwasniok, the continued success of smaller clubs is no coincidence. He draws a comparison to the economy: “There are reasons why large companies are sometimes overtaken by start-ups.”
That’s exactly why Cologne needs people who are willing to move forward courageously and consistently push developments forward. Traditional clubs in particular tend to rest on their laurels.
For the 44-year-old, a key to progress lies in working with sports director Thomas Kessler, whom he expressly praises: “Because he is young and dynamic and has the advantage of knowing every stone in Cologne.”
1. FC Köln has already collected 15 points
On the other hand, he himself brings a fresh perspective from the outside – an interaction that could result in “a perfect match” for him. The path to success leads through a modern identity: “We have to bring Cologne culture together with new parameters.”
The start of the season provides the new FC coach with tailwind. Thanks to a stable development and early successes, Cologne is solidly in the middle of the table with 15 points.
“We have given a good impression to the outside world so far,” Kwasniok summed up with satisfaction. But despite all his confidence, he thinks long-term: He wants to “help shape a successful time in Cologne that will continue when I’m no longer there.”