Winning streak, losing streak, winning streak again: FC Penzberg's rollercoaster ride through the season

Created: 01/12/2022Updated: 01/12/2022, 9:44 AM

From: Andreas Mayr

They are cheering again: With four wins in a row, the Penzberg team shot their way out of the crisis before the start of the winter break.

Previously, the injured FC had lost six times in a row.

© Andreas Mayr

There is one thing that you cannot blame FC Penzberg for this season: the district division does not get bored.

The season is marked by extremes.

Penzberg

- The year 2021 does not exactly tempt you to think backwards.

But that's exactly what Martin Wagner did.

His job as coach of FC Penzberg demands that. As an ambience for the review, he and the bosses of the FCP chose a cozy dinner, in which all topics came up on the table.

The FC Penzberg finished the first part of the district league season as seventh in the table.

For a club that has already sniffed at the national league in the past two years, that may not be a satisfactory result.

Why the coach still considers the preliminary round to be valuable, he explains in the analysis of the local newspaper.

The integration project

Penzberg's season can be viewed as a timeline with three intervals. The first phase extends to the injuries of the two leaders Christian Wiedenhofer and Maximilian Panholzer (both cruciate ligament ruptures) within five days in September. In contrast to the previous season, the circumstances of Martin Wagner did not demand this time to design and shape a title candidate, but to lead an integrative youth project. The most important newcomers came either from the A-youth (goalkeeper Korbinian Neumaier, defender Efe Kurtar) or from the district class (Andre Maier). Instead of implementing a system, the trainer had to start with fundamentals. “It wasn't so clear to me that you had to start at the very beginning,” he says. After the preparation, the FCP simplified its tactics. For Wagner and the board of directors, it was already clear at this point thatthat it wouldn't be about number one. With Benedikt Buchner, Hannes Huber or David Salcher you had given up too much quality. Nevertheless, Penzberg did "astonishingly well," as Wagner emphasizes. Fazlican Verep and Marco Wirtl grew into leadership roles, Andreas Schneeweiß achieved a “massive boost”, Efe Kurtar immediately fought for a regular position. Penzberg won five of the first seven games. "The young players did very well.""The young players did very well.""The young players did very well."

The Schlotter phase

Martin Wagner finds two expressions for the five tough weeks in September and October: "weak phase" and "total misery".

Penzberg loses six times in a row, most recently the team from SV Aubing is buried, it means 0: 6 in the end.

"Has never happened to me," says the trainer.

Several factors merged in this phase.

Injuries washed half the squad into new roles.

The few remaining clocks did not call their level.

In the front, Penzberg regularly missed the best chances, especially in the first half.

In addition, the defensive allowed itself a gross blunder in almost every game.

“The two don't get along as well,” notes Habacher.

The 31 goals conceded in 17 games in particular bothers him.

The streak of light

The autumn finale, of course.

Two key events caused the (emotional) turnaround.

First the 2-1 tremendous victory over Unterpfaffenhofen with Fazlican Verep's redeeming goal.

Then of course the newcomer, who will mess up the situation in the district league.

With Maximilian Berwein, the FCP engaged a one-man cavalry, which released the Penzberger's jam in one fell swoop.

Ten FC goals in three games with Berwein speak for themselves.

The derby victories over Raisting and BCF Wolfratshausen "strengthened us as a team" - and by team Wagner means everyone from the bench to the management level.

The realignment

The preparation begins at the end of January - and with it the race to catch up. At least that's what they hope for in Final Cut Pro. "Now we can look up," says Martin Wagner. In view of eight points behind, he does not see the relegation place out of reach. For this dream, however, Penzberg should hardly lose any more game. "We will do everything for it," emphasizes the coach. He sees the first games after the break - none of them against the top teams - as the key to kicking yourself into a frenzy. Provided that the team gets involved in this mission. The preparation weeks are something like a double job interview for the Penzberg soccer players. On the one hand, they fight for regular places, on the other hand for their coach. After the test phase, Martin Wagner wants to decide whether to extend it with FCP. He says:"For me, the preparation is crucial, whether the boys go along." (Andreas Mayr)