With just under two weeks to go before the showdown with 1. FC Köln, TSG Hoffenheim coach Sebastian Hoeneß is running out of time. What seems curious at first glance becomes clear when looking at the list of international match nominees of the Kraichgauer.
Already on Saturday evening, immediately after the 1:3 at VfB Stuttgart, Hoeneß spoke of one and a half dozen internationals. The 38-year-old did not necessarily look happy. He had previously been asked what needed to be improved during the international break. And the coach answered: “There is still a chance to send a certain message to the players on Sunday. From then on, 18 players will be on the road all over the world.”
There are a few fewer after all, because Marco John is not travelling to the German U 21s due to injury, Austrian Christoph Baumgartner is being rested after his muscle spasm and Robert Skov has not been called up to the Danish squad by Kasper Hjulmand. Nevertheless, Hoeneß will have to do without 15 international players as part of his training reappraisal of the unsuccessful and generally unsteady start to the season.
Only Baumann, Baumgartner and Vogt remain from the starting eleven here
This hits Hoffenheim comparatively hard because they are already challenged against FC on Friday, 15 October (20.30, LIVE! at kicker.de). The Cologne team has the disadvantage of also having to travel to the match. However, their coach Steffen Baumgart is missing “only” nine professionals. Only goalkeeper Oliver Baumann, defender Kevin Vogt and Baumgartner, who was absent due to injury in Stuttgart, will remain in Kraichgau.
Hoeneß’ words on Saturday suggest that he took his travellers hard into prayer on Sunday: “Everyone has to be made aware that we have to grab games, pull them to our side with conviction. Just like we did the previous week. “
“Everyone has to be made aware that we have to grab games, get them on our side with conviction. “
SEBASTIAN HOENESS
Then the Kraichgau side beat VfL Wolfsburg 3-1 after falling behind, the head coach’s clear message was: “Everyone must be aware of this before they leave the training ground. “
