Whatever Steffen Baumgart puts his hand to, it succeeds. In the 2-0 win in Stuttgart, the Cologne coach made numerous successful changes and was not only pleased with his returning goalscorer.
The story is beginning to take on a supernatural quality. At the end of the interview, Louis Schaub was asked about his clothes after the victory in Stuttgart. After all, the midfielder was wearing the jacket with the number 27, which actually belongs to the double scorer of the last two games, Anthony Modeste. Whereupon the Austrian international explained with a twinkle in his eye: “I hope I get his powers and then also score with my first balcony contact…”
Purely rational approaches are apparently not enough even for Modeste’s teammates to explain the Frenchman’s resurgence under Steffen Baumgart. Two goals on Wednesday in Stuttgart. Before that, two in the 2:2 in the derby against Bayer 04 Leverkusen on Sunday. The 33-year-old has already scored eight times in eleven competitive games this season, and has also prepared another goal. And that as a player who, before the new coach took office, was seen as nothing more than economic ballast for the club due to his permanent crisis.
Of course, after the victory in Stuttgart, everything focused on Modeste, who had provided the lead with his first contact with the ball after his substitution and shortly afterwards also the final goal. But Baumgart did not want the centre-forward to be the focus of the jubilation.
“Anthony Modeste was not the decisive man, the decisive factor was the team, which had done very well beforehand. “
STEFFEN BAUMGART
So the FC coach explained: “Anthony Modeste was not the decisive man, but the decisive factor was the team, which did very well beforehand. He got the team over the finish line.”
For even if Modeste was the match-winner, Baumgart gained further positive insights regarding his team, which he had changed in terms of personnel on eight positions.
What looked risky from the outside was necessary from the coach’s point of view. “If it had gone to shit, we would still have played a good game,” Baumart explained, “I can emphasise it again: we have a very broad and good squad. You could clearly see that we don’t have an A and B team. It’s important that we also give the other players a chance to show themselves. “
Nobody falls behind
Tomas Ostrak (21) made his debut in the starting eleven and Marvin Obuz (19) was allowed to join the professionals for the first time in the closing minutes. Cologne’s coach manages to bring all the professionals along. Another credit to Baumgart. No one falls behind. That is good for the climate, good for the team – and good for the club. After all, players like Modeste, Schaub or Kingsley Schindler, who had already been written off, are gaining in value again.
Probably the clearest offer from the players who had recently been sitting on the substitutes’ bench came from both centre-backs in Stuttgart. Jorge Meré and returnee Timo Hübers convinced Baumgart as a central defensive block.
“Both played very, very well. Timo, I don’t think, lost a single duel. Jorge always managed to push our chain out. He organised that very well,” praised the coach, “we have four very, very good centre-backs.” And thus have much more to offer than just a revitalised Anthony Modeste.