As of: January 19, 2024, 5:01 p.m
By: Simon Jacob
Comments
Press
Split
Nico Karger (l.) and Sascha Mölders (r.) once stormed together at TSV 1860 Munich.
Now write your success story with TSV Landsberg.
© Brugger/IMAGO/MIS
In the interview, Nico Karger talks about his personal future, the promotion plans of TSV Landsberg, Sascha Mölders, Daniel Bierofka and TSV 1860 Munich.
Munich – 19 goals in 19 games.
Nico Karger is the most successful goalscorer in the Bayernliga South and is well on his way to shooting TSV Landsberg into the regional league.
He doesn't yet know whether he would take this step in the summer.
For the former TSV 1860 Munich professional, his training as a childcare worker now has priority.
A conversation about future plans and friendships.
Hello Nico, you start your preparation with TSV Landsberg on January 22nd. Your last competitive game was over two months ago. How have you kept fit since then?
At the beginning of the winter break I was really happy that I didn't have to do anything.
But we all got running plans.
That's why I've now signed up for the gym and go every other day.
But you weren't just lazing around, were you?
On November 20th I started my training as a childcare worker.
Although I was on vacation now, I've been back at school for a week and a half.
It's not that bad at all.
There are compartments that knock out all the switches for me.
In music, for example, when we start singing children's songs at eight in the morning.
That's why I'm looking forward to my internship at the daycare center in February.
Is this a dream you've been pursuing for a while?
Actually, I always wanted to work in the fashion industry.
I did that for four months, but I didn't like that it was the same thing every day.
Then I had a career-oriented conversation where several things came out.
The first was Brauer (
laughs
).
That would have worked somehow.
But when my advisor mentioned childcare, I knew straight away that I wanted to do that.
Why do you want to work with children?
My news
Rudi Bommer on the relegation battle and naive lions: “How many new beginnings did 1860 actually make?” read
New storm hopes at TSV 1860 Munich: Lakenmacher, Ouro-Tagba and Sulejmani on the rise
Eight games in five weeks: TSV 1860 Munich before an intensive start to the second half of the season
Is TSV 1860 Munich prepared for the “hot autumn”?read
Moving to Munichreading
"Munich's Great Love" is no longer read
The answer is simple: because it is beautiful.
Children have so much love to give.
You can teach children something.
Something new awaits you every day.
This is super exciting and exactly what I enjoy.
You trained the F youth team in Deisenhofen. Do you see yourself as a youth coach in the future?
Not during my training.
Then I wouldn't have much free time.
But in a few years I definitely want to do it again.
So training is currently more important to you than football?
Yes, that is now the top priority.
I play football just for fun.
19 goals in 19 games sounds like a lot of fun.
I had a lot of fun in Deisenhofen, but I didn't think it would be a little more fun in Landsberg.
When you have teammates like Leugner, Cekic, Hutterer, Benede and Helmbrecht, it's a blast in the dressing room and on the pitch.
You confidently lead the top scorers list in the Bayernliga South with a gap of six goals. In your last five games before the winter break you made eight huts. Why did the first half go so well for you?
I don't know if I'll get in trouble for the answer, but because Sascha (Mölder's
editor's note
) got injured.
(
laughs
) When he was still fit, I felt like I played in a different position every game and never got into the flow.
After Sascha's injury, I was just a striker and scored my goals.
Of course it helps when someone like Leuges (Daniel Leugner
editor's note
) plays behind you.
That's pretty awesome.
He plays balls that I don't expect, but that simply have 'goal' written on them.
Is it enough for promotion this year? Anything else is actually not an option with your team.
That's right.
I'm very confident that we'll be in first place at the end of the season.
If it's not enough, I won't break my foot.
It will definitely be a tough second half of the season.
In the league, anyone can beat anyone.
We are the best example of this.
On matchday 14, TSV Landsberg lost 2-3 at FC Ismaning despite a goal from Nico Karger.
© Sven Leifer
You mention the defeats against Ismaning, Türk Augsburg and Kirchheim. The teams are in 15th, 16th and 18th place in the table. If you had achieved these supposedly mandatory victories, you would have been nine points ahead of second place. That would reflect the balance of power quite well. Do you think Landsberg, with its current line-up, can win the regional league?
Yes and no.
If you look at our team, the majority of course has regional league potential.
So I think we could keep up.
In the Bayernliga, however, we are comfortable every now and then and sometimes follow along at a rather relaxed pace.
That doesn't work in the regional league.
If you play like that against FC Bayern II, you'll have an egg in the back of the net.
What are the biggest differences between the Bayernliga and the Regionalliga?
Clearly at the pace of the game.
In the Bayernliga you can take a break more often.
Of course there are still a few completely blind people hanging around in the regional league, but there are fewer of them.
In the Bayernliga things are more physical.
With some players you have to be careful that they don't cut off your foot.
Then the regional league sounds more fun. Would you be up for it again?
Yes and no.
Somehow I would like to do it again.
But during my training, I'm also happy when the distances aren't that far at the weekend and I don't have to travel all the way to Aschaffenburg for an away game.
Does that mean you shoot Landsberg for promotion and then pack your things in the summer?
I would first talk to the guys I'm bigger with and see what their plan is.
Is this not a topic of conversation for you yet? The rise is not that unrealistic. And the new season is only half a year away.
I know the club is aiming high.
I know that Sascha wants to go up.
But it has hardly been an issue in the team so far.
What is it like working with Sascha Mölders? You're good friends.
It's fun.
Sascha was the main reason why I came to Landsberg.
And I haven't regretted it for a second.
But he demands a lot from you, he wants to win every game.
Does that mean he really pushes you hard in training?
No, it's actually relaxed.
Except the Tuesday sessions.
They can be very long and really tiring.
I don't know why, but on Tuesdays Sascha usually forgets that people have to get up early the next day.
Overall, there is a lot of looseness in our training.
And there's a really great atmosphere afterwards too.
Is Sascha Mölders a tactical fox?
We've been analyzing the opposing team on the TV in the dressing room these days.
Since then we have had to give ourselves eternal minutes of Sascha's analysis.
(
laughs
) But they're also good and helpful, so that's fine.
Sounds professional. Sascha Mölders makes no secret of the fact that he wants to go a little higher as a coach. Do you trust him to do that?
If he has the right coaching team at his side, I can well imagine that.
Is there anything else he needs to improve on?
Maybe incorporate strenuous exercises into your training more often.
He usually leaves them out, the rascal.
(
laughs
)
Would he have to take part himself as a player-coach? Is that perhaps the reason?
I can remember a situation during the preparation for the season where a parkour run was on the agenda.
Before that, Sascha actually warmed up as normal and played circles.
But then he got out of parkour running and started coaching.
(
laughs
)
That wouldn't have been possible during your time together at TSV 1860 Munich under Daniel Bierofka.
No.
If you wanted to take some time out while drinking a beer, then you were immediately fired up.
With him as your coach, you've already shit your pants.
Just out of fear or sometimes because of laughter?
Both.
(
laughs
) The time under Biero was really amazing and overall my best time in football.
We experienced many funny stories.
From 2015 to 2019, Nico Karger played under Daniel Bierofka for the first and second teams of TSV 1860 Munich.
© imago sports photo service
Can you spontaneously think of a story?
I was lying in the physio room the day before the game and then Biero comes in and says to me: 'Karges, no Chappachuppi tonight.'
And then he said that over and over again.
But just to me: 'No Chappachuppi before the game.'
Did he mean what I think he meant by 'Chappachuppi'?
Yes.
(
laughs
) Another story begins with the fact that I injured my hand.
I don't want to say where, but I had to go under the knife straight away and the doctor specifically banned me from playing football.
But I still had to go to the Biero and confess what happened.
I was really scared and sweating as I ran up the stairs to him because I had to tell him that I wasn't allowed to play football for over a week.
I didn't get into any trouble.
On the contrary, I had to go to a specialist immediately.
He gave me a splint and boom, I trained again the next day.
That definitely matches the stories you hear about him. You played under Daniel Bierofka in both the first and second teams of 1860. In total, you were with the Lions for over eleven years before moving to Elversberg in 2020. Do you still follow the club?
I don't watch games.
That doesn't interest me because there's hardly anyone I know left there.
And when I read about what's going on, I honestly lose interest even more.
I'd rather spend my time on nicer things, like with my son.
The interview was conducted by Simon Jacob