This Saturday in Leverkusen, next Tuesday against Salzburg in the Champions League. The start for Florian Kohfeldt at VfL has it all. With a lot of determination, his team should immediately show the signature of the 39-year-old, who was hired on Tuesday.
“I came from the sun. Sun is here again now, but I don’t want to put that in context,” the newcomer, summoned by VfL from his holiday on the island of Fuerteventura, flattened at his introduction about the golden October that is also making itself felt in Lower Saxony these days.
“I haven’t seen Wolfsburg in the daylight yet,” he said, adding that he hadn’t noticed much of the outside conditions because of all the work. “The first few days were intense. The best thing was with the players on the pitch. “
We are preparing for a strong Leverkusen team.
FLORIAN KOHFELDT
The opening programme for the new coach could hardly have been more brilliant. Florian Kohfeldt’s first test with VfL will be against top team Bayer Leverkusen. Neither their cup elimination, nor physical impairments of the first opponent play a role for the Wolfsburg coach. “We have already completed the analysis of the opponent and are preparing for a strong Leverkusen team.”
After many positive individual discussions with the players in his new squad, the 39-year-old is feeling confident that he will be able to convey his new signature straight away. “We will need a lot of courage to flip the switch. But we are ready to do it because we know we can back each other up. “
Salzburg don’t play a role (yet)
The landmark Champions League match at home against Salzburg just three days later is of course already on his mind, but does not play a role for the moment, he said. “I will not deliberately not let a player play with Tuesday in mind. We will field the best possible team on Saturday.”
Apart from the long-term injured, Jerome Roussillon, Admir Mehmedi, Luca Waldschmidt (all muscular problems) and Wout Weghorst, who is ill with COVID-19, will be missing. At least: “With Wout there is a good chance that he will be back on Tuesday against Salzburg,” said Kohfeldt.
Kohfeldt’s look back
In different stages, Kohfeldt said of the past six months, he had digested his exit shortly before relegation at Werder Bremen in May. Until July, there was a “conscious holiday”, “then I started to reflect on things and also talked to many players. Both with those with whom things went well and with those who perhaps didn’t think I was so good”.
Of course, he then followed the new Bundesliga season intensively again, even being ready for a new task again since October, although: “The thought of being dependent on a colleague having to leave was not so nice, though. “
“I don’t think hierarchy is a problem here. “
FLORIAN KOHFELDT
In contrast to widespread custom, Florian Kohfeldt takes up his post at the “Wolves” without an assistant familiar from earlier times. “I believe that there is a lot of expertise here, in the coaching team and around it. I’ve also known co-coach Michael Frontzeck for a long time. Maybe it helps that I get involved with everyone here.”
There will also be no changes to the captaincy and team council. “I don’t think the hierarchy is a problem here. “
