Schultz: “Have to give our all one more time at Karlsruhe”
Thursday, 10. November 2022, 17:30 Uhr
Head coach Timo Schultz sat down with the media for the final pre-match news conference of the year on Thursday afternoon ahead of the trip to Karlsruher SC.
Timo Schultz on...
...his personnel: “Etienne Amenyido has resumed training. We probably won’t make a final decision on his fitness until tomorrow. Franz Roggow and Niklas Jessen are a bit further and candidates for the squad again. We’ve recharged our batteries over the two days since the last game and I’m assuming everyone will be 100 per cent ready, both physically and mentally, and we’ll battle hard at Karlsruhe.”
...going over the Kiel game: “With games like Kiel you do look at why certain things didn’t go so well. You then talk to the lads and ask how they felt, why they didn’t really get into the game and why we lacked conviction and courage. The lads went flat out against Kiel. Our running work and combativity were good again, but this time we had no answers in attack, especially in the second half. I’m used to something different from my team.”
...how he’s dealing with the on-pitch situation: “Everyone who knows me knows that my mood isn’t dependent on two wins or three defeats and that I always try to remain clear and analytical and maintain a certain north German easygoingness, fully aware, of course, that we as a group, me as a coach and us as a club could do with a few more points.”
...possible changes to his side: “That’s an option. You can’t compare the Kiel and Karlsruhe games, though. Kiel came to the Millerntor with an excellent footballing side and lots of confidence. We now go to KSC, who are on a winless run and in search of form and confidence. They also play a different system than Kiel, so we’ll line up differently. Players who haven’t had as much game time recently are even more of an option on account of their freshness, of course. On the other hand, we’ve had an extra day to recover and every player in full training is capable of contesting three 90-minute games in a week and going full throttle.”
...KSC and the game itself: “It’s going to be touch and go. Games at the Wildpark are always enjoyable. The task at Karlsruhe is to give our all one more time. We have the power and the energy. It’s the final game and both teams want three points. They’re important in terms of the standings. We have to focus on ourselves and go into the game with conviction and the knowledge that basic attributes such as hard work, industry and compactness as a group are sure to be the top priority. We’re looking forward to the game and want to end the year well.”
Photos: Witters