„A very successful start“

The training session on the idyllic grounds marked not only the start of SV 98’s pre-season preparations but also the launch of the „Lilies'“ Odenwald campaign—an initiative President Markus Pfitzner outlined on the sidelines: „We have a long-standing, positive connection with the Odenwald region; it has always been part of our South Hessian roots. For us, this is an opportunity to say thank you to the region and the many loyal local fans. We want to increase our presence here. Perhaps even more ‚Lilies love‘ will blossom in the Odenwald in the future.“

SV Winterkasten put its best foot forward as a host. Despite the recent summer heat, the pitch was in excellent condition, and numerous stalls and attractions complemented the action on the field. Food and drinks were readily available throughout the event, ensuring that all visitors could enjoy a wonderful Sunday afternoon despite the high temperatures.

„It was a nice change of pace. Starting the season in an atmosphere like this suits the Lilies perfectly—no frills, just being close to the people. It was a highly successful kickoff,“ said Florian Kohfeldt after the session; he and the entire squad had spent a long time afterwards signing autographs and posing for photos with fans.

The training group also included the five external new signings to date—Noah Weißhaupt, Yannik Lührs, Lars Kehl, Nicolas Verkooijen, and Ibrahim El Kadiri, whose signing had only been finalised shortly before training began.

When asked about the new faces at SV 98, Paul Fernie explained: „We’ve been quite active over the past few days and are very pleased with what we’ve managed to achieve so far. They are all young, hungry players.“

The Sporting Director spoke of an „offensive overhaul“ for the Lilien following the departures of Isac Lidberg and Fraser Hornby, but simultaneously emphasised that the South Hessian club could still rely on a core spine in defence and the defensive midfield position.

In addition to that quintet, young Lilien players Manolo Merx and Milian Herbst were also present in Winterkasten; both had signed professional contracts with SV 98 during the summer break. For the start of the session, Kohfeldt had to do without long-term absentees Luca Marseiler (recovering from a cruciate ligament tear) and Merveille Papela (recovering from meniscus surgery). Fabian Nürnberger will also need some time before he is fully available to the team again; the 26-year-old is being eased back in with great caution following an injury-plagued previous season. Patric Pfeiffer was also not yet back on the pitch following the muscle injury he sustained in the away match against Münster, though the centre-back is expected to rejoin full team training in the coming days.

On Monday (June 29th), the Lilien were able to complete their first session on the training pitches at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor. The training session began at 10:30am and was open to the public.