Marco Hiller had his most significant appearance before the game. When the TSV 1860 Munich goalkeeper ran onto the pitch to warm up, he was applauded by the visiting fans, who once again appeared in large numbers, shouting “Hiller, Hiller, Hiller”. The 27-year-old has played for the Lions since childhood, but at the beginning of the season he had to vacate the six-yard box for the experienced René Vollath. But he had been unlucky recently, and after four games without a win and conceding twelve goals, coach Argirios Giannikis had a growing feeling that something had to change.
Not for tactical reasons, because there were “no mistakes to blame” on Vollath, as the coach himself said. “These are things that cannot be explained, it’s about energy, about psychology,” explained Giannikis after the surprising 3-0 win at SV Sandhausen. The word “initial spark potential” was then heard at Magentasport: it cannot be ruled out that Hiller’s return will create a spirit of optimism. And not because he is the better goalkeeper. But for reasons that are as irrational as the entire club, which managed to sow discord again on such an afternoon.
In purely physical terms, Hiller’s presence was secondary. Because, especially after the 5-1 debacle in Cottbus six days earlier, it was a completely surprising game in which the Lions keeper had little to do. Hiller punched the ball out of the danger zone two or three times, but the most dangerous shots were blocked. The Lions were also lucky once when Sandhausen’s Dominic Baumann hit the crossbar with a side kick (68′). Hiller himself also thought that Sixty won clearly, even by a score, “that wasn’t my fault,” and he otherwise talked a lot about how good it all was.
Giannikis had also almost completely changed the back four, but did not change the route. As in Cottbus, the team quickly looked for a way in front of the opposing goal and was quickly successful: Central defender Max Reinthaler, who was back in the starting line-up, took the lead after nine minutes after a header from Florian Bähr, who was back in the starting line-up. The Japanese Soichiro Kozuki was particularly eye-catching, crowning his performance with a remarkable shot (33′). Substitute David Philipp scored the final point in stoppage time (90+3). They played in a similar way to Cottbus, made a few crucial mistakes less – that was enough. “In football,” says Hiller, “you don’t have to be able to explain everything.”
Investor Hasan Ismaik has once again saved the club. It’s just that many fans don’t want to be saved by Ismaik
What is certain, however, is that in 1860 even perhaps the best performance of the season cannot cause trenches to be filled up. Shortly after the 1-0 victory for the Sixties, the fans sang the so-called “Sheikh Song”, loud and clearly audible, at the same time they showed a banner on which the name of the designated financial director could be read: Anton Hiltmair became his social leader His past, which was widely reported in the media, was accused of being a sympathizer of the hated FC Bayern Munich. He should therefore, to put it mildly, refrain from taking a job at 1860 Munich. During the week, investor Hasan Ismaik saved the lions financially, once again by signing loan contracts worth millions. In return, the investors also demanded that the new managing director be named: Hiltmair.
It’s just that many fans don’t want to be saved by Hasan Ismaik. Some would even prefer bankruptcy than that. From the curve in Sandhausen it was said that it couldn’t be the case that Ismaik’s supporters were given so much influence again, while they were clear about their candidates for the board of directors at the general meeting last June had failed.
In this respect, the events on the pitch this time also fit the hidden object picture called 1860 Munich: Marco Hiller stands for club love, the signing of René Vollath stands for greater ambitions. From the perspective of the die-hards, sixties football always has to be successful with a down-to-earth attitude; big ambitions almost always lead to crashes. Maybe that’s why they were cheering for Hiller so much before he had even played a minute this season.
