Friedhelm Funkel is back at 1. FC Köln. On Tuesday morning, the coach led his first unit to numerous fans and a special visitor.
Friedhelm Funkel actually wanted to start his second working day as a coach of the 1st FC Köln at an early stage. The 71-year-old was motivated on Tuesday morning at 6.30 a.m. in his home country Krefeld. However, the successor to Gerhard Struber thwarted the traffic. In the end, Funkel took around an hour and a half for the almost 65 kilometers, so that he was only able to enter the office at Geißbockheim at 8 a.m.
Then, however, his mission at FC could finally start. Funkel is supposed to save the Cologne team from the second division – once again. As early as 2021, the trainer had returned from his retirement at short notice to preserve FC from relegation. With a victory in the relegation against Holstein Kiel, this should succeed in the end.
At around 9.30 a.m. the last players had also arrived at the Geißbockheim, so that Funkel could keep his first one -hour speech to the team. “From tomorrow I will have some discussions to get a feeling for the team and the situation,” said Funkel when he was presented on Monday and was convinced that “we will find the right words in the coaching team so that the team will achieve a good result in Nuremberg on Friday evening.”
An hour later, the Cologne team finally went to the Franz-Kremer Stadium on the lawn, where around 500 fans were already waiting for the team and their new coach. Most supporters were confident about the change of coach. A fan had even brought a poster for sparkle. The message: “The Messiah is do. Friedhelm, Mach et! Ascent!”
The chances for this are not bad. After all, no other trainer has risen to the Bundesliga more often than Friedhelm Funkel. With five clubs, the native Neusser managed six times, once of which in 2003 with 1. FC Köln. With two games to be completed and three points ahead of the relegation rank, a seventh promotion seems to be more than just in the area of the possible.
In the end, Funkel’s first unit lasted around 75 minutes. As usual, the trainer stayed in the background, rather watched the exercises and always took players to the side for one -on -one discussions. Instead, assistant coaches took over the main part of the explanations and instructions.
Goalkeeper Marvin Schwäbe, who had publicly strengthened his back on Saturday evening to the retired coach Gerhard Struber, was satisfied after the training. “We had a good first day, a good first unit. It was not yet a matter of bringing some content in, but having good focus.” In addition, number one praised the experienced coach: “You just notice when he enters the room. When he speaks, everyone listens. This is a good feeling.”
In addition to the numerous fans, the new sports director Thomas Kessler and the only remaining managing director Philipp Türoff did not miss the unit. In addition, a very special guest stopped at the Franz-Kremer Stadium: Ex-FC President Werner Spinner suddenly stood together with his wife at the training ground and watched the first radio stake. The 76-year-old was President of 1. FC Köln between 2012 and 2019, but had not been seen at the Geißbockheim for several years.
Funkel was also welcomed by some former companions from the Geißbockheim, some of them received gifts. The first day of the new trainer started promising. On Wednesday, Funkel will prepare for his first away game at the 1st FC Nürnberg behind closed doors. On Thursday, the FC Tross is already leaving towards Franconia. There the first of two steps should be made to promot.