As of: March 13, 2024, 9:44 a.m
By: Uli Kellner
Comments
Press
Split
Giant with a difficult position: The Lions already felt that Münster has a defensive team when the first leg was 1-1 (here Simon Scherder against Jesper Verlaat).
On Saturday the best team in 2024 will come to the Grünwalder Stadium.
© Imago
TSV 1860 Munich meets SC Preußen Münster, who, like other promoted teams, are shaking up the 3rd league.
Giannikis spoke in advance about their success.
Munich – The 3rd league offers an astonishing picture with nine match days to go.
In the top 5, around the expected top favorites Regensburg and Dresden, there are: surprise table leaders SSV Ulm, Preußen Münster, who are still unbeaten in 2024 (4th place) - and the little ones from SpVgg Unterhaching (5th place).
In other words: three of the four newcomers who are increasingly boldly considering a breakthrough and are keeping some higher-ranked clubs at bay.
“Experiences of success bring people together.
As a newcomer, you had a moment of success – that will be rewarded at some point.”
Argirios Giannikis, coach of TSV 1860 Munich, about the strong newcomers in the 3rd league.
Among them: third division top dog TSV 1860, which is already eight points behind its unpopular suburban rivals - and nine points behind Münster, the home opponent this Saturday (2 p.m.).
To see the Ulmer Spatzen at the top of the table, you almost need a telescope in Giesing (16 points!).
What's also astonishing is that the Lions have not won any of the six duels with promoted teams so far this season.
1860 lost both games against Ulm 0-1, with the same result at home against Haching;
In the first leg in Münster it was 1:1 - and both comparisons with Lübeck, the fourth newcomer, ended without a win (1:2, 1:1).
How can that be?
Argirios Giannikis, 1860 coach for two months with a points average ready for promotion (1.8), once led a club in Greece to the top: PAS Giannina in 2020, which has remained in the Super League to this day (but is currently last there ).
The experienced trainer's assumption regarding the strength of newcomers: “Experiences of success bring people together.
As a newcomer, you have had a moment of success, you have worked well over a long period of time - that will be rewarded at some point.
If you look at the 3rd league: It's a good league in terms of quality.
Nevertheless, such processes are important.”
Giannikis is not yet thinking about next season at 1860 Munich
The question arises as to whether the Lions, who will not be promoted again, can learn anything from the stable and self-confident upstarts?
No, says Giannikis: “There is no blueprint in football.
These are clubs that are structured differently than in 1860 or Dresden.” In the end, such developments are “the sum of good decisions.
That's the case everywhere.
If you make more good decisions than bad ones, success is bound to happen at some point.”
But: Talking about “macro goals” now, such as promotion in 2025, would not be a good decision for Giannikis – before that, staying in the league should also be mathematically certain.
“What happens next year,” he says, “I'll think about that when everything is in place.” That means: First collect the missing “few points”, then have clarity about the squad (18 expiring contracts) and budget (a dozen sponsors the withdrawal).
On the subject of the future, Giannikis can only make general statements: “Christian Werner works in the background.
My priority is the games.
The league is so balanced that we can’t let up an inch.”
My news
No money and expiring contracts – is the current 1860 team falling apart? read
Ex-Löwe an issue again at TSV 1860?
He wouldn't hang up on an 089 number
From Lions fan to pack leader: Lukas Reich is a national player and captain of the U17 team of TSV 1860lesen
Separation from TSV 1860?
Hasan Ismaik speaks openly about possible scenario reading
Dynamo Dresden against TSV 1860 Munich now live: Here you can watch the 3rd league on TV and stream reading
Rejected as president - now Ismaik's confidant Stimoniaris is taking on other important posts
Salary structure like a newcomer?
Budget from 1860 could be greatly reduced
And yet: If you assume that the 1860 budget actually shrinks to 4.5 million euros, the Lions would be like a newcomer in 2024/25, at least financially.
Blueprint or not: The three extremely strong newcomers show how you can create a sensation in the 3rd league even with limited resources: Ulm comes through physical compactness, Münster through fast-paced football, at Haching the stable defense is the foundation.
A mixture of everything would be ideal - but in Giannikis's mind it's all about finally breaking the 40-point mark by Saturday.
He says: “Münster will be a tough job again.
We want to continue to develop – and win close games against top opponents.” (ulk)