For SpVgg Unterhaching, this week is about everything.
Victories against Türkgücü (Wednesday, 7 p.m.) and in Kaiserslautern (Saturday, 2 p.m.) are a must, otherwise the renewed crash into the regional league can hardly be avoided.
Manni Schwabl reveals in an interview how the boss is doing and how he sees Haching's future.
Manni Schwabl, her 55th birthday fell on a Sunday that was also the game day.
A party prevented Corona, the points of the SV contractions.
A sad day of honor?
Schwabl:
Mei, 55 is a nice schnapps number, only when you see what number you are heading towards ... I would prefer 35, but with age it's like with sport: It's not a request concert.
I got a lot of calls and a lot of encouragement for Haching - but unfortunately not the win I wanted.
I said that so clearly to the laborers (laughs).
The threesome would have been the culmination, then we would have been fully back to the music.
Have you at least taken some hope for the final sprint with you?
Schwabl:
I put our realistic chances of under 50 percent even before the game.
With this assessment you now have to make further deductions, unfortunately.
But if you know us Hachinger: we will not give up.
The gap remains at six points, but the games are getting less ...
Schwabl:
The problem is that we have to leave four teams behind us.
This is already going to be a mammoth task.
With whitewashing or any fantasies you won't get any further.
In theory, a lot is possible in this English week.
The Wednesday opponent Türkgücü is out of breath - and in Kaiserslautern the points against a direct competitor count twice.
The last chance for Haching?
Schwabl:
In the end, there are now two merciless endgames.
You have to win on Wednesday anyway - and actually in Lautern too.
Maybe a win and a draw would be enough, but four points are the bare minimum.
Six would of course be ideal to also put pressure on the competition.
If you want to see it positively: Maybe it's a good thing that there is no left or right now.
It definitely counts in these two games!
As a responsible club manager, you are pushing ahead with the planning for the regional league in parallel to the relegation battle.
How far are you there?
Schwabl:
We have to plan in two directions, that's very clear.
Fortunately, it's not like 2015 when we started from scratch.
At that time we had to put together a completely new team, this time many players have valid contracts - and we are much further ahead in the youth field anyway.
At the NLZ, we will thankfully be able to draw on unlimited resources in the future, paired with a few anchor players - I will not be afraid.
But: Of course, you only think about the final consequence when it is no longer mathematically possible.
Who should and who definitely wants to stay from the current scaffolding?
Schwabl:
Hain and Stahl as well as Welzmüller have contracts for both leagues.
You already took the potatoes out of the fire with us.
In any case, there is a scaffolding on which to build.
You wrote off Stephan Hain too early with your statement in winter.
Well-meaning one could also say: You wanted to tickle him ...
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Nine months out - and immediately a bearer of hope again: Haching's number 9 Stephan Hain.
© Angelika Warmuth / dpa
Schwabl:
Let's put it this way: Two hearts beat in my chest when I heard the statement.
On the one hand, I've seen that one setback after another comes with him - then realism always outweighs me.
On the other hand: I naturally hoped that something would happen to his knee again.
All the greater is my joy now.
My heart opens up with Stephan.
When I see Haino on the pitch, we are what-I-know-how many percent stronger.
His aura, his ball safety - we cannot replace them.
If I take out the Mölders in 1860, the Lewandowksi in Bavaria or the Haaland in Dortmund - then the results change too.
Will Arie van Lent remain coach?
He offered it.
Schwabl:
We are in constant contact, but the question is still open.
Now let's see which league we play in.
Then we sit down, look each other in the eye - and make a decision.
It doesn't have to come out what I want or what the aria wants, but what is best for the club.
What role will Claus Schromm play in the future, who took a puzzling break as a general sports director at the beginning of the year?
Schwabl:
It has also been agreed with him that we will sit down around Pentecost.
Then we will analyze: what went well, what did not go well?
I always say: In the current situation, we all have our bags in there, me of course first and foremost.
But here, too, the following applies: The club must be the focus, not Schromm or Schwabl or van Lent.
The outcome is open, but anyone who knows the history knows: I would very much like to see Claus continue in a sensible way.
It crunches in every respect, but we're grown people, at least most of the time (smiles).
We've both fought too many battles together for that.
Hand on heart: Schromm and his successor van Lent as head coach - that didn't go together, right?
Schwabl:
(thinks) Next question.
You stole the answer from Hansi Flick.
Schwabl:
He used to be my roommate too (laughs).
What role does Sandro Wagner play in your medium-term planning?
So the next Christkindl put it in front of the door.
Manni Schwabl on the new U19 coach Sandro Wagner.
Schwabl:
With Sandro, I see it as after the last descent near Hain and Stahl. I would say casually: The next Christkindl has put it in front of the door. It just came out of nowhere. When it became clear that he was serious about his coaching career, he asked us. In the conversation we both discovered that it goes well together. Now he's taking over the U19s for two years, after which everything is open. In terms of character and all of his DNA, he is made for us: He is down-to-earth, ambitious - and a man of clear words. We have known each other for a long time because he lives in Haching and his children were with us in the kids club. I also like his announcement that he would like to become a Bundesliga coach, because then I know: He's throwing everything in. By the way, it wouldn't be bad for our reputation,if we help another trainer to break through - after Manuel Baum and Heiko Herrlich.
Another topic: Anyone who has money currently has an investment problem.
Which would you rather recommend: Haching stocks or Bitcoins?
Both courses have recently plummeted ...
Schwabl:
Definitely Haching shares.
Quite simply because there is incredible potential for growth - even if we should go down to the regional league.
I would be more cautious with Bitcoin - in my opinion, the price is already too high.
Should of course have been the transition to finance.
How does it look: Can the SpVgg cope with a decline economically?
Schwabl:
Whether regional league or 3rd league - that makes no difference.
For everything that is below the DFL, you pay extra anyway.
From a sporting point of view, one could think that top talents get cold feet when we have to go to the 4th division.
But the opposite is the case, as I recently noticed in conversations: They now even see a hundred percent chance of making it directly to the first team.
When it hits us, we will build up a regional combat force that can cause a sensation with 80 percent players from our own NLZ.
There has been something like that at many clubs, I remember 1. FC Nürnberg, but before my time.
Relegation can also be a huge opportunity for all of us.
The chance for renewal?
Schwabl:
I never made a secret of the fact that we too wanted to pant for the big money pot.
These are simply perverse differences between the 3rd division and the DFL leagues - they also tempt you to play a bit of hara-kiri.
But that's definitely not going to happen to me again.
I say: Schuster, stick to your last - build on the people who are there with heart and passion.
Then success will come, I am absolutely convinced of that.
Maybe this is exactly what it takes to get us back to our own strengths.
Finally, a question about your other ex-club, TSV 1860. Is there a happy ending for the Lions in the promotion campaign?
Schwabl:
I would say the trend is your friend.
I think they cannot be stopped with the Mölders in their current form.
In terms of feeling, the ascent is set up this year.
How annoyed you are that you did not tie Sascha Mölders when he was sitting with you in the Sportpark beer garden in the summer of 2020?
Haching could have used his 20 goals well.
Schwabl:
You can always need goals, unfortunately we had to experience that bitterly this year.
Nevertheless, I stick to it: We met by chance because he also knows that you can eat great in our pub.
So everything without ulterior motives.