Third league start against Essen
© Imago
Despite the investor vortex, the Munich lions start the new season with a huge mood. After difficult years in the 3rd league, the euphoria in the fan camp of TSV 1860 Munich is enormous, although the financial future, once again, is uncertain. In addition to Hansa Rostock, the 1966 champion is one of the top favorites on the promotion in the third division season, which started at the weekend.
“We definitely want to play up above, that’s clear. Formulating any other goals would be ridiculous with this team. But taking the word climbing on such a long season is nonsense,” said ex-international Kevin Volland. The exciting question of whether investor Hasan Ismaik now sells its shares, as already reported, or not, should not slow down the traditional club in its sporting ambitions.
The dress rehearsal was even more impressive than expected: six days before the league start, TSV 1860 Munich defeated SSV Jahn Regensburg in its 4-0 (2: 0), not a few languages of a class difference between the two third division competitors. The Munich Löwen thus underpinned their favorite role before the start of the season next Friday in the opening game at Rot-Weiss Essen (7 p.m.).
The anticipation of the followers for the season began in April when the relegation under the new coach Patrick Glöckner became more and more likely and was presented on Easter Monday as a great hope that was still under contract with Union Berlin. The 33-year-old not only brings the experience from 277 Bundesliga games and from the Champions and Europa League, he came to Munich at the time as a 15-year-old and therefore lives above all the fan motto “Once Lion, Always Lion”.
“There were only two scenarios for me: I find an agreement with Union Berlin an agreement on my contract resolution and then switch to the lions – or I go to the district league to my brother, who plays in Thalhofen. But it quickly became clear that the number would work with 1860,” said Volland in the interview with “11Freunde”.
Volland and Niederlechner only wanted to go to Munich for TSV 1860
“We see this as a matter close to the heart,” said Volland about himself and the second prominent returnee, Florian Niederlechner, with whom he had forged the plan to move back home from Berlin for a year. “If we manage to convert the euphoria into success, then it can carry you all the season. We have to become a good team for that”, predicted the veteran in the training camp in Ulrichsberg in Upper Austrian. Against Regensburg, Volland also fueled expectations with a spectacular 52-meter goal for the 1-0 lead.
Niederlechner was immediately fire and flame for the new project. “I already knew during the winter break of last season that my time at Hertha could end in summer. At the same time, I was in contact with 1860 and blocked one or two inquiries that came from other clubs and said: Sorry, no chance, I want to go to the lion,” said the attacker at “11Freunde”. Despite several inquiries, the new Hertha coach Stefan Leitl could no longer dissuade him from his project.
Sixzig’s managing director Christian Werner also worked for almost a year on the new powerful team, and not only rely on the new offensive duo Volland/Niederlechner. The Bundesliga-proven goalkeeper Thomas Dähne, also born in Bavaria, left-back Manuel Pfeifer from the first Austrian league, midfield strategist Max Christiansen from the second division Hannover 96 and the middle striker Sigurd Haugen from the first Danish league are not even all examples that the squad has been reinforced in all parts of the team. In addition, despite great competition, defense talent Sean Dulic could be kept as well as the experienced attacker Patrick Hobsch.
Löwen managing director Werner expects really horny season
“I think this is an advantage that we almost had the entire team together in preparation,” said Managing Director Werner. “It will be a really horny season and I really feel like it.” In all preparatory games together, his team conceded only one goal (0-1 against Slovan Liberec). “You can see the stability, you can see the wit,” said coach Glöckner.
Even though the 48-year-old ordered tactical changes. Now a system with a chain of three and two strikers will be the preferred choice – with space for Volland and Niederlechner. “I assume that there are now and then properly on the wood. But I’m not a player who avoids duels, I’m robust. It is also a bit of fun,” says Volland.
It seems that the greatest danger to TSV 1860 Munich once again is to harm itself. Just in time for the general meeting on July 7, in which President Robert Reisinger was replaced by Gernot Mang after eight years, the association announced that investor Ismaik sold its 1860 shares to a Swiss family holding company-Ismaik himself was quoted in the explanation.
TSV 1860: Investor Ismaik is still present
But the takeover was not in dry towels and burst, the backgrounds remained mysterious until the end. In the days before the start of the season, Ismaik continues to act as a partner – and shows presence. He traveled to Munich, which does not happen often and announced in the new 1860 jersey that his three representatives had resigned on the Supervisory Board.
Because the squad with a team value of 8.55 million euros (second behind Hansa Rostock) should not only be good, but also costly, ISMAIK is likely to take care of the necessary liquidity in the course of the season. Meanwhile, in 1860 with new squad quality and great euphoria, the eighth attempt to finally end the belonging to the third division.