Patron Dietmar Hopp wants to see TSG 1899 Hoffenheim permanently in Europe, but coach Sebastian Hoeneß can see no pressure in it.
Instead, he demands more “sharpness” and more “toughness” from his team before the home game against 1. FC Köln.
Zuzenhausen - The pressure can be felt everywhere at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim after the disappointing start to the season, but coach Sebastian Hoeneß does not want to be disturbed by it. Not even from the patron and majority owner Dietmar Hopp. He had recently formulated his claim at the general meeting that he expected the Bundesliga soccer team "permanently" in sixth place or better in the future - and thus regular participation in European competitions.
He felt Hopp's statement in "no way" as pressure, said Hoeneß on Wednesday at the press conference. “I know that Dietmar is ambitious. And that's a good thing, ”said the 39-year-old before the home game against 1. FC Köln. He is sixth in the table, five places ahead of TSG, which only got eight points from seven games before the game on Friday (8.30 p.m. / DAZN) and recently conceded a deserved 3-1 at VfB Stuttgart.
The weak performance in the national duel over long periods is part of a series of several disappointing appearances this season.
Which is why the dissatisfaction around Hoffenheim is growing.
Against Cologne, who have been unbeaten for five games under their new coach Steffen Baumgart, Hoeneß demands a different attitude from his team - and wants to see more “sharpness” and “hardness” from his professionals.
So it's also about psychology and a “mental component”.
"The basic virtues of football will be the basis against Cologne," said Hoeneß - and in turn put his professionals under pressure.
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Christoph Baumgartner could provide more playful shine and goal danger.
After the Austrian international was absent against VfB due to muscular problems, he should play against the Cologne team again from the start in the attacking midfield.
Left-back Marco John is out for four to six weeks due to a shoulder injury he sustained in training.
With the captain Benjamin Hübner, who lost more than a year after an ankle surgery, things are still looking up.
The central defender is again denying parts of the team training, said Hoeneß.
The game against Cologne, who have to do without their top performer Ellyes Skhiri (knee injury), comes too early for Hübner.
But Hoffenheim have at least the statistics on their side before the start of the eighth game day.
Against the Rhinelander, they recently celebrated six Bundesliga wins in a row and with the 6-0 on March 31, 2018, their highest success in the upper house.
A TSG professional was particularly accurate last season: Andrej Kramaric contributed five goals to the 3-2 and 3-0 win against FC.
dpa