TSV 1860: "Everything was fixed!" - The Bender twins were about to return as players

Created: 07/08/2022, 08:12

By: Uli Kellner

Prodigal sons: Lars and Sven Bender, two prevented returnees.

© Imago

The lions are rightly proud of their nine newcomers.

The league is amazed, the fans are full of euphoria, but all of that could have been topped a year ago.

Windischgarsten

– Sports director Günther Gorenzel revealed on the final evening in Windischgarsten: “We agreed with the Bender Brothers.

Everything was fixed.

The lads said: Günther, we would like to end our careers at 1860 – as players!”

The news of the prevented return campaign sounds like a fairy tale - especially because Gorenzel emphasizes that Lars and Sven were still highly regarded in Leverkusen and that they should even extend their contracts with Bayer beyond 2021.

But, according to the Löwen sports director, who accompanied the twins' career start as assistant coach (2007): "Unfortunately, their bodies had something against it."

TSV 1860: Bender twins now with the DFB

Instead of putting on their football boots again for 1860, the Benders joined their home club, TSV Brannenburg.

At the side of their old buddies, they ran a couple of times in the Inn/Salzach district class - and agreed with Gorenzel to at least help the lions with their good name - as part of a mentoring.

"Financial issues were never an issue," said the head of sport: "They wanted to give something back to the club."

The end of the story: The DFB stepped in between, wooed away the ex-national players as assistant coaches for the U15s (Lars) and U16s (Sven) – for which Gorenzel shows understanding.

"They keep saying: We don't want seven days of football anymore.

It's different with the DFB, they work on a modular basis there.” Small consolation for the lions: they now at least have prominent fans.

(Uli Kellner)