“A win would be an important step for us”

Philipp Förster is not yet a candidate for the starting eleven. He has made a decent impression in training over the first few days. The decision as to whether we will take him with us to Ulm will only be made on the Thursday before departure. It is also great to have Fabian Nürnberger back. He hasn’t played a competitive game in the 2nd division for a long time. I didn’t like the fact that he had to face maximum strain with the national team straight after such a long break, with two games in four days. We have to see how we manage his workload. Guille Bueno has performed well to very well in recent weeks. He is a different type of left-back than Fabi. I am pleased that we have a variety of profiles available in that position again, allowing us to react to different situations. So, exciting decisions await me in the coming weeks (grins). There is a high probability that Bueno and Nürnberger will be on the pitch together at some point.

A win in Ulm would be an important step for us. We’ve been able to maintain our consistent performances over the past few weeks. However, we haven’t always picked up the points we could have hoped for. That’s the problem. We’re in a situation where we desperately need points. It would therefore be good for us to earn three points in Ulm against a team that’s behind us. We can take a big step towards being able to plan for the 2. Bundesliga with confidence. We have to be very vigilant, but we mustn’t panic. We absolutely want to win this game. To do that, we need the right mix of vigilance and confidence.

Ulm has always had very close games this season. They’ve rarely suffered clear defeats. When they’ve lost, it’s always been close. They’ve also drawn frequently. For them, this Friday night is a game where, given their situation, a win is practically a must. We’re making it clear to the lads what kind of atmosphere and what kind of team awaits us in Ulm. Ulm is a well-organised opponent, and we have great respect for them. They pursue a playful approach. They have two top central defenders and extremely capable midfielders. There are a lot of footballing issues we have to prepare for.

I’m delighted that so many fans will be there again. It’s very positive that the bond between the team and fans has become very close. This is also reflected in the away support, which is outstanding. The 1,300 fans in Ulm – perhaps a few more will join them – will be heard, just as our fans are heard in every away stadium. I can promise that we will give it our all on the pitch to win.

We’ve drastically under-scored points, considering the probabilities for points in games. The team isn’t happy with that either. The team is extremely annoyed that we haven’t rewarded ourselves enough for what we’ve brought to the pitch. We need to continue learning how to feel the game and, at the right moments, how to finish games or not let them turn around. Our organisation, balance, and ability to create chances are good. But that’s just the basis for being able to feel the game when it counts. That’s part of the development process.

We also used the first week of the international break to work on our athletics. The long period without a break from January to March was marked by many injuries. This also resulted in a lot of work for our staff. We therefore also used the international break to recharge our batteries and rejuvenate ourselves. Since Monday, we’ve only had one focus: Ulm. We’re tackling this challenge with full force and energy.

The card statistics are a problem. Of course, one could ultimately discuss each yellow card on a case-by-case basis. But we have to be honest: We’ve received too many unnecessary cards this season, which have weakened us. We also need to improve our card statistics.

It was nice to see the Bölle from the stands on Tuesday evening. It was a fantastic experience and a great setting for a U21 match of the German national team. The Darmstadt fans created a fantastic atmosphere.