From BZ/dpa
Missed the playoffs but not lost optimism: Berlin Thunder is already looking ahead to the next season of the European League of Football (ELF).
“I am proud. We turned things around compared to the year before. Also in the organization,” said ex-NFL professional and sports director Björn Werner. “We had an average of 3,500 fans in the stadium. This is all a success for the franchise. Now we want to add the next pieces of the puzzle to make the playoffs next season.”
Coach Johnny Schmuck, who replaced Jag Bal last year, will continue to coach the Berliners next year Photo: picture alliance/ Eibner Presse
The capital city gambled away the only small chance of reaching the semi-finals on Sunday with a 10:37 against the Tirol Raiders.
Ex-Coach Bal inflicts bitter defeat on Thunder
Irony of fate: Defensive coach in Tirol is Jag Bal. The Canadian was head coach at Thunder in 2021, but had to leave after the premiere season in Berlin. He was only the victim of a chaotic organization and the resulting poor preparation for the season.
Thunder ends the season with a positive record of seven wins and five losses. A significant increase compared to the three wins in ten games in the premiere season.
Reboot after just one season
Berlin Thunder restarted before this season. Diana Hoge became a new managing director, Johnny Schmuck took over as head coach and Werner joined as partner and sports director. A conversion that has paid off.
Schmuck, who should remain a coach, also looks positively at what has been achieved. “Many didn’t think we would be able to achieve a clear turnaround in one year,” said the coach. “We have established a different culture in the team. But you could also see that we’re not ready to play at the top. That is the task for the next few months.”
The team should be kept together in large parts and strengthened selectively. “We lacked the depth,” explained Werner. “It’s important that we get the best players from Berlin and Brandenburg. We have to work towards that now.”
Trainer Schmuck wants to bring more consistency into the game. You rarely played four good quarters in a row against the top teams: “But we are a very young team, so we still need some experience.”
The European League of Football will be expanded from 12 to 16 teams in the coming season. A team is added in Munich as well as clubs in Switzerland, Italy and Hungary.