At VfL Bochum there is a sense of alarm after the next crushing defeat in the Bundesliga. The fans are angry. The team is historically bad. There has to be another miracle.
Tasmania Berlin’s 1965/1966 season is synonymous with failure. The club went 31 games in a row without a win, conceding the most goals and scoring the fewest goals. Nevertheless, after nine matchdays, the club from Neukölln had three points more than VfL Bochum this season. VfL has picked up a single point so far. The Ruhrpott club can no longer feel any of the euphoria of the relegation miracle. Less than six months later, the currently largest crisis club in German professional football is teetering straight towards relegation.
“I don’t think it’s possible to assess whether the quality will be enough in the end. It’s just the case that no player is actually in the best possible shape that he could or should be in to play in the Bundesliga,” said Bochum’s interim coach Markus Feldhoff, who took over as coach after the separation from Peter Zeidler.
But it all didn’t help. Feldhoff’s record could hardly be worse: first the 0:5 against FC Bayern Munich, then the 2:7 at Eintracht Frankfurt. And next the German champions Bayer Leverkusen and runners-up VfB Stuttgart are waiting for the Ruhrpott club. By then at the latest, Feldhoff could finally be worn out.
Feldhoff: “I’m sorry”
The ex-professional judged himself harshly after the severe bankruptcy in Frankfurt. He wants to take responsibility. “I actually have to acknowledge that all the measures that I personally took in the last two weeks have not been fruitful. So I’m sorry I couldn’t give the boys a little more guidance.”
The tactics were also a mistake in the defeat against Eintracht. The hosts could do whatever they wanted with the Bochum team – also because VfL played far too offensively and was hopelessly overwhelmed in defense. “You can clearly question that in retrospect,” Feldhoff replied when asked whether he had chosen the right tactic. He admitted that it was certainly not the right decision to let the team play so offensively.
“All good boys”
Feldhoff’s statements indicate an imminent farewell. However, he initially left it open whether he would draw personal consequences. He ruled out the possibility of sorting out players. However, it is clear that things cannot continue like this, emphasized the 50-year-old.
“What I can do is put my hand in the fire for every player who comes to training with us every day, so that everyone gives their best every day. They’re all good guys,” Feldhoff said. But you have to find those who pull together on the pitch and help each other. “I think that was obvious.”
Competition scores, VfL needs a miracle again
For VfL, the situation in the bottom of the table is extremely precarious early in the season, as the competition was also busy scoring points at the weekend. Holstein Kiel won the first Bundesliga in its history against 1. FC Heidenheim (1-0), FC St. Pauli won at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim (2-0). This means that the Bochum team is now in last place.
It is unclear when VfL will announce a long-term successor for Peter Zeidler, from whom the club parted ways two weeks ago. One thing is certain: the new guy has a lot of work to do – and, as in the relegation against Fortuna Düsseldorf, he probably needs a miracle to stay in the league.
jm/dpa
