When the Hungarian first division club FC Fehervar meets the Bundesliga club 1. FC Köln in the Conference League on Thursday (18.08.22). (Live ticker on sportschau.de from 8.30 p.m.), Michael Boris, a German coach with roots in North Rhine-Westphalia, will sit on the Hungarian bench.
The 47-year-old, born in Bottropp-Kirchhellen, worked as a trainer for VfB Homberg, Germania Windeck, Schalke 04 II, Sportfreunde Siegen, Sportfreunde Lotte and KFC Uerdingen before his stations in Hungary.
In the interview he talks about his anticipation of the duel, Steffen Baumgart and his return to Cologne.
Mr. Boris, how excited are you about the duel with 1. FC Köln?
MichaelBoris (Coach FC Fehervar): “We’ve been looking forward to it since Monday. We still had the game against champions Ferencvaros on Sunday, and we’ve been fully focused on that since Monday 1. FC Cologne.”
You have been active in Hungary for several years – with small interruptions. What is your team doing and what is special about Hungarian football?
Boris: “Fehervar has been number two in Hungary behind Ferencvaros for years. This means that the club is always ambitious to get into the top 3 and play internationally. What makes Hungarian football special is that the clubs here like to play technically adept football. In addition, people in Hungary now value their physique, so that the league is now also getting physically stronger and not just looking good in terms of play.”
Cologne got off to a good start in the league, in the cup there was a surprising exit from second division club Jahn Regensburg. Is that something that gives you courage?
Boris: “Yes, Cologne also lost a few games last season, which gives us courage. We have to give it our all this Thursday evening, deliver the best performance and form of the whole week and be mentally alert to take something with us.”
You’ve already been in contact with trainer Steffen Baumgart, right?
Boris: “Yes, last October in a traditional game in Emden between an East Frisia and a GDR selection. Steffen Baumgart was a GDR player, I was an assistant coach for the East Friesland team.”
How do you rate his previous work in Cologne?
Boris: “As a guy, he’s authentic and relaxed. In terms of football, he plays offensively, starts up high, pushes through – that’s refreshing. I know that he’s internalized the fascination that makes up 1. FC Köln. 13 years ago I joined Germania Windeck played in the DFB-Pokal against Schalke 04 at the Rhein-Energie-Stadion and I’m used to the region, so I know what the club means to FC fans.He conveyed to the team what it means to play for Cologne . I think you see that away as well as at home. At the end of the day, qualifying for the Conference League last season was outstanding.”
What are your memories of the DFB Cup game in Cologne?
Michael Boris (left) and Felix Magath
Boris: “That’s where it all started. Ulli Potofski, who was still the presenter of a local broadcaster at the time, often invited me to his show and then asked me what I personally hoped for from this game. And then I said it would be great, of course “if I could get an internship at Schalke. In front of the cameras, I asked Felix Magath if I could do an internship for two weeks or sit in. He agreed. The two weeks then turned into half a year, that’s it After half a year I finally got a job as head coach of the second team at Schalke 04. And then my path as a coach took its course.”
How is your team going into the upcoming play-off game against Cologne?
Boris: “We don’t have to talk about the fact that we’re the outsiders. Also that the 50,000 spectators will be really loud. I assume very strongly that Cologne will run up to us, that they will press early, that they will be in the first We want to use the element of surprise for about 15 to 20 minutes. We’ll be prepared for things to happen in the early stages, also in terms of volume. But basically we want to play forward. We like having the ball, we like it it’s also about scoring goals. Anything is possible, but the fact is: we can’t hope for Cologne to have a mediocre day. We have to have a really good day ourselves.”
