Schwaig looking for stability

Created: 11/26/2022, 13:00

By: Helmut Findelsberger

FC Schwaig want to get back to their old strengths with top scorer Raffael Ascher (l.).

© Christian Riedel

Schwaig's sporting director and player coach take stock before the winter break.

Schwaig – As a promoted team, FC Schwaig played impressively in the 2021/22 season, far exceeded all expectations and put in a good showing with third place in the table.

All of that no longer counts since the start of the new season in mid-July, often referred to as "the darn second season".

When looking at the table and the results of the autumn round that has now ended, one could agree.

For Wolfgang Lang, sports director at Sportfreunde, it's "more of a phrase".

For player-coach Ben Held, "it's proven true for us again, but look at Bruckmühl, they're the leaders in their second season".

For Lang, the fact that everything is no longer so easy has something to do with "the fact that the opponents now know how Schwaig plays and wants to play".

But that's not the only reason why you have 23 points after 20 games, while a year ago in third place in the table there were 46 points from 21 games.

Speaking of place in the table: in the final sprint it was just enough for a non-relegation rank.

As thirteenth with 23 points, the Sportfreunde are tied with Geretsried and are only one point better than Grünwald and Freising.

This trio ranks on the three relegation places.

On the first of the two relegation places, also with 22 points, is Bayernliga relegated Pullach.

Bottom light Brunnthal is a bit behind with 15 points.

This makes it clear how crazy, but also athletically demanding, the state league has become this season.

"If it's only a few percent less after such a successful but also strenuous season, and that's with several players, then that's the effect it has," the Schwaig sports director also has to admit.

However, he emphasizes “that the boys have thrown everything into the balance after the promotion, some even to the point of changing their diet”.

And then there would also be too many handicaps in his kicking staff together with injuries, illnesses, but also studies, career changes or a lot of shift work, such as with policeman Daniel Stich, the most experienced defender.

"And maybe one or the other vacationed a little more," he confirms.

"Starting in January, that will be the hardest preparation Schwaig has ever seen," says Lang with a wink.

He is in constant contact with player coach Ben Held and his assistant coach Florian Fink.

"Everything is worked up again and the spring preparations are planned, but in peace and with a cool head."

Player-coach Held also has a lot going on in his head.

"Too many and too easy goals" annoy him, "because we score quite well up front".

He uses last season as a comparison, “because if we didn't score a goal, then we didn't get one either”.

Or struck just before the final whistle, as not only once in a total of five 1-0 wins and another three narrow successes without conceding a goal.

It was not for nothing that Held missed the lack of consistency on the defensive in the preliminary round, "and that doesn't just include the nominal defenders".

"There were always too many absent," he says in the same horn as his department head.

In 20 match days, for example, Johannes Hornof only made seven appearances, Stich and Maxi Hellinger eight, with Daniel Fichtlscherer, Ricardo Maier or Nils Wölken there were hardly any more.

"Last season, a stable majority was our strength," Held remembers, "and it was very difficult for those who wanted to get in."

Sports director Lang and trainer Held agree that they will continue to work in peace, but "also focus on the seriousness of the situation".

And the Schwaiger still have everything in their own hands in the remaining 14 games.