1. FC Köln II: Preussen Münster “clear favourite” for FC coach Zimmermann
The U21s of 1. FC Köln play against Preußen Münster on Saturday. Coach Mark Zimmermann recalled a “cool atmosphere” at the last duel in the Regionalliga West.
At the U21 from 1. FC Cologne it is currently difficult to draw a real conclusion about the start of the season in the Regional League West to deliver. At least as far as the results are concerned, because the classification of the game against Rot-Weiss Oberhausen, which was stopped at 4:1 for FC, is still pending. “We showed very good games against RWO and then against Fortuna Düsseldorf II,” reports the coach Marco Zimmerman.
Against Düsseldorf there was the first official three of the season, as against RWO in front of a home crowd. “Two out of six games are a bit small. Especially away from home, we haven’t gotten on track yet,” Zimmermann looks back on the previous games abroad (2:3 in Düren, 1:1 Kaan-Marienborn, 0:5 Rödinghausen). The coach also has an explanation: “This is due to the adaptation of young players to men’s football. That looked good recently, we now have to confirm that over a certain period of time in order to be successful away from home as well.”
The next away trip for the Cologne team is already scheduled for the weekend, on Saturday (September 3, 2 p.m.) they go to top favorites Preußen Münster. In the last duel, the billy goats were guests in Münster on the last day of the preseason. “It was a cool atmosphere. Everything was at stake for Münster, it was a close game, we were even at times at times,” Zimmermann recalled the 2-1 defeat.
At the next duel he now expects different signs. “It’s a completely different game now. Münster will want to play as seriously as before and is the clear favourite. We will be absolutely challenged, they have a top squad and can do great things,” Zimmermann assesses the second in the table. “But we want to stand up and have the chance to take something with us.”
Another factor for the trainer in the near future will also be the openness of the professionals and the departures of Niklas Hauptmann (Dynamo Dresden) and Bright Arrey-Mbi (loan with Bayern dissolved, to Hanover). “As a result, some of the boys are now in the training squad for the pros. I don’t know yet whether and who WILL be in the matchday squad,” Feine Zimmermann commented on the personnel situation.