Future of interim coach open
Union Berlin’s new coach Marco Grote is not planning far ahead for the Köpenickers. “First to Augsburg. To be honest, I don’t know anything else. “It’s not like it bothers me particularly,” said the 51-year-old at his first press conference after Urs Fischer’s retirement. President Dirk Zingler had announced that the search for a coach would be a careful process that would not be undertaken under time pressure.
Together with assistant Marie-Louise Eta, Grote is preparing the struggling Bundesliga club for the home game on Saturday (3:30 p.m.) against FC Augsburg. After 14 games without a win in a row, the new coaching duo is primarily doing mental building work for the Iron Men. No team in Europe’s top leagues has had a weaker return in recent weeks.
“It’s about getting to know different emotional worlds. It’s about reminding the players what quality they have. You will want to. They will burn,” Grote announced. He can understand that players and fans felt sadness after the separation from long-term coach Fischer. “But we are no longer in the past. We are in the future,” said Grote.
Before being promoted to interim coach in the Bundesliga, Grote coached the Unioner U19s. “Basically, my work doesn’t change much. It’s football. It’s football in the U19, and it’s football here,” said Grote, adding: “It’s obviously faster, more intense and more physical and the environment is different.” Grote will have to do without several players against Augsburg, who have been unbeaten in four games. Rani Khedira is suspended, defensive veteran Leonardo Bonucci and Sheraldo Becker are out injured.
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