After the 04 debacle in Karlsruhe, Jan Zimmermann (42) threatens to end as a 96 coach. In the press conference he talked about the reasons for the defeat and his future.

Zimbo: “We had big plans, we didn’t get off to such a bad start. We then had ten bad minutes and Karlsruhe ten extremely strong minutes in which the game was as good as decided. The boys put it away a lot, we tried a lot. If we had made the connection with the hand goal or with the post shot before the break, we might be able to get back into the game in the second half. We didn’t succeed. We tried a lot in the second half, until a quarter of an hour before the end you can’t blame the guys. Then in the end we lost our strength, Karlsruhe played it out well. It was finally clear to me when I hit the 4-0 neck blow. “

And further: “We certainly imagined it to be completely different from how it went today. We have to state for ourselves that we had ten unfocused minutes in which we made it too easy for Karlsruhe, where they played it really well. And that we didn’t manage to score goals from the opportunities we had. Therefore, of course, the victory for Karlsruhe is deserved. “

How is this 12-minute blackout to be explained?

Zimmermann: “After the good Paderborn game we had the confidence that we could win the game here. It is difficult to explain why we had these ten minutes and why everything worked out at Karlsruhe. We didn’t defend consistently, a lot came together. But we don’t need to look for excuses. We had enough scoring chances to make the game more open again. We have to touch our own nose and see that we can correct the mistakes and have more clarity and determination for the future. We have to be clearer in the last third of the opponent and have less ball losses, and play more purposefully towards the opposing goal. If you don’t score, you can’t win. We didn’t shoot any again. “

Is the 96 team too bad for the 2nd division?

Zimmermann: “We always get a lot of advance praise. It’s always a good starting point for the opponent to refer to the names and the quality of the squad. That is also legitimate and is part of it … At the end of today we showed over a long distance that we can play football well. Still, it’s always about situations. Can I defend my penalty area? And can I assert myself decisively at the front? I know that I have a lot of good guys who were very disappointed in the dressing room. Who planned a lot and worked really well during the training week. Nevertheless, it stays that way – this applies to me and this applies to the boys: We have to be measured by this performance and this result. I don’t think we that the guys are too bad. In the end, however, you have few arguments after such a result. “

BILD to the future of Zimbo: Up until now you have had support from Martin Kind and Marcus Mann. Do you think you will continue to get the confidence as a 96 coach?

Zimmermann: “In the end, those are the questions that always come up. But I am not the one who can answer it. I have said often enough that we are very clear and very open in exchange, that we discuss the topics very openly. I feel very comfortable in the constellation, have a good feeling. But again: I’m not the one who can answer that in the end … “