Köllner: "Everything is still in the lottery, even direct promotion"

Created: 05/06/2022Updated: 05/06/2022 18:31

By: Uli Kellner

The power of positive thoughts: 1860 coach Michael Köllner exemplifies boundless optimism.

© sampics / Christina Pahnke

Minimum target fourth place?

Michael Köllner prefers to think of the maximum that he can theoretically reach at 1860: "Why should I limit my world of thoughts?"

So no white sausages and no calls.

Despite various connections to Viktoria Köln, the lions have decided against actively influencing the opponent of 1. FC Kaiserslautern, their main opponent in the fight for promotion.

Instead of culinary incentives or motivational appeals, trainer Michael Köllner relies on neurobiology, i.e. on the power of thought.

Let the environment quietly unknow that things will go wrong again anyway.

Should everyone believe that the relegation place is the only goal that 1860 can still achieve in the best case.

As is so often the case, Köllner's thinking is different.

"Basically everything is possible in sport," he lectured: "Of course, many constellations have to come together so that you can still manage the mega coup in the end.

But: Everything is still in the lottery, even direct promotion.

Why shouldn't that happen?

In any case, I will not minimize myself in my world of thoughts in such a way that I limit myself to the smallest goal beforehand.

No, I always work in such a way that we can still achieve the maximum.”

Win and hope - especially for Viktoria Cologne

Winning and hoping - "we're working on that," said Köllner, who firmly believes he can win the "tough games" in Magdeburg (Saturday, 2 p.m.) and against Dortmund II (following Saturday, 1:30 p.m.).

The motto of the passionate positive thinker Köllner: "You always have to believe in your chance!" Means in the special case of the lions as fourth in the table with 58 points: two of their own wins and a mistake by FCK (63) on Sunday in Cologne are a must - for third place .

And for Köllner's daring mind games, to also be able to aim for direct promotion: Said "mega coup" would not only require two 1860 victories and a Lauterer end-of-season bankruptcy, but also a total failure from Braunschweig.

What is meant is the case, which has so far been neglected even in deep blue circles,

Either way, it's a "mega second half" for Köllner

If the penultimate matchday goes according to plan and the dream of promotion lives on afterwards, the lions would have crowned a "mega second half" from Köllner's point of view.

As a reminder: The 2:5 in the first leg against Magdeburg (0:5 at break) was the low point under Köllner - with far-reaching consequences: 12th place in the table, the coach and sports director Günther Gorenzel wobbled.

Captain Sascha Mölders was identified as a source of trouble and had to leave.

The turning point.

And the starting signal for a development into a top team.

"It's impressive the path we've taken since then," enthuses Köllner: "We knew that things couldn't go on like this any longer.

We changed a few things after this game.” With the result that 1860 can take first place in the second half of the table on Saturday – assuming they win against the previously leading Magdeburg team.

Personally, nothing should stand in the way of this.

From his current successful team, Köllner only has to do without teenager Morgalla (ill).

Amazing: Except for Mölders and the injured Willsch, a team that is very similar to the first leg could play – only tactically different and matured into a community worthy of promotion.