Paul Fernie has been in charge of the Lilies‘ sporting fortunes for almost exactly six months to the day. We used the current international break to look at the first few months of his term in office with the sports director and to take a look ahead. In an interview with sv98.de, the 37-year-old analyses the end of last season, the transfer phase this summer and the progress of the current second division season so far. Fernie also talks about the collaboration with Florian Kohfeldt and the development under the new head coach.
sv98.de: You’ve been with the Lilies for almost exactly six months. How have you experienced the club so far?
Paul Fernie: As a club in transition. We are in the middle of a change process. Some of these changes were of course planned and necessary, others we had to react to. Something has happened on all levels. Starting with a new sports director, who always brings with him different ideas and ways of working. Continuing with a necessary change in the squad, 17 contracts including loan players have ended and 13 new players have been brought in. A changed internal structure in the processes, in which the distribution of roles was sharpened and the individual areas were given more responsibility. All with the aim of ultimately becoming more professional and giving players the opportunity to get better. And the last serious change was of course in the coaching position. Overall, the club is in a challenging but also exciting process. I am very happy to be able to help shape it.
You started with an away win in Köln, but shortly afterwards the looming relegation from the Bundesliga became official. How difficult was it to get rid the feeling of relegation? And how exciting is it still?
The club has had to endure a lot of suffering in the recent past. Not just the players and employees, but above all the fans. The Bundesliga season was a disappointment, just as the start of the second division is not what we had hoped for so far. Especially in my early days, I experienced that the negative experiences of last season understandably had an impact on people. But I have the feeling that, especially in the last few weeks, this attitude is changing little by little and people also want to give the team the time they realistically need and want to support the team along the way. This is very important for us because when changes occur it is crucial to stick together. A change process is always challenging, which makes cohesion among and with each other all the more important. In Karlsruhe, for example, the spark spread from the guest block to the team. Success is not linear, especially not in football. We need a bit of this year to consolidate and reposition ourselves. This season will be a development season that prepares us for the future. But very important: this only works if we accept the present as it is. This season will be a battle and we have to face it. We have to collect our points and work our way out of this unsatisfactory situation step by step.
Why was it important to extend so few contracts in the summer and initiate such a major change?
We had to change a basic feeling. I found a team that lost almost the entire season. That can do something to a person. Our goal was therefore to make a real new beginning with players who do not carry the burden of the past and who bring mentality and quality. Now, in my opinion, we have a good balance of players who have been here for a long time and know what makes the club tick and what makes it tick, as well as players who are “unburdened” by the negative experiences of last season. It is normal that a structure like this needs some time to grow together. What made it even more difficult was that after a few match days this had to be done not only with each other, but also with a new coach. But I am absolutely convinced of the quality and character of the team.
How do you rate the transfer phase?
We brought in a good mix of players who come from the Bundesliga, such as Mey Papela or Philipp Förster, seasoned second division professionals such as Kai Klefisch or Marco Thiede and players from the third division such as Fynn Lakenmacher or Luca Marseiler. At the same time, we should not forget Paul Will, who made a very good impression in the first games of the season and I wish him all the best in his rehab from his torn cruciate ligament. We also looked beyond the German borders and brought in players from abroad such as Killian Corredor and Isac Lidberg. What was challenging was that the original planning of the squad under Torsten Lieberknecht was based on a different system. Since we have one more offensive player under Florian Kohfeldt than before, we brought in Philipp. The signing of Marco was of course a reaction to Matthias Bader’s serious injury, and I wish him a good recovery.
This squad now has the task of collecting as many points as possible before winter.
We are convinced of the quality of the squad to be competitive. The general conditions are also right here in Darmstadt, we have a lot to offer as a club: We can’t keep up financially with many teams in this league, but we have an excellent training building, a fantastic stadium with a traditional fan base and everything we need to continue to improve and achieve success. We are a club that needs to be creative in squad planning, in how we invest our budget and in how we get the most out of our resources. And we have capable people here for this task.
Eight second division games have been played so far. What is your first interim conclusion?
This is not the start we wanted. Six points from eight games is not our goal, and there’s no need to sugarcoat that. But we now have to accept the situation as it is, with the aim of finding stability as a team and going our way step by step and working our way into midfield in the table. Apart from the Elversberg game, I haven’t seen us completely inferior in any game. We’ve almost always had good phases in the game. It is now important to extend these phases in order to further increase the probability of scoring points.
What exactly are the expectations for the coming months? What exactly do you mean when you say stability needs to be found?
When it comes to stability I am referring to several things. On the one hand, this means that we want to move step by step into the middle of the table and away from the danger zone. Knowing that development never runs in a straight line. On the other hand, that means that we want to find continuity in our performance step by step – over a large part of the playing time and not just in phases. This also means that we want to achieve defensive stability and reduce the number of goals conceded. In addition, stability and continuity with regard to our fitness level, which is of course subject to new requirements with a new trainer. We have made progress in all of these points in the last few weeks and have generally developed in terms of football. But we have to continue working on this homework.
After about a month, how is the collaboration with head coach Florian Kohfeldt going?
I can give him a big compliment for the first few weeks. I feel like Flo is the right man for the right situation. He is very structured and organised, has a clear game idea and knows how to implement it. Since day one I have seen sporting development and increased performance, which is particularly important to me as sports director. We have developed a lot in a very short time, especially with the ball. He also has precise ideas about procedures and processes off the pitch. In our situation, Flo helps us a lot with his clarity and structure.
Thanks for the conversation, Paul!
After 13 unbeaten second-division matches, SV Darmstadt 98 suffered their first defeat this Friday evening. Three unfortunate minutes just before halftime, during which Patric Pfeiffer was sent off and Vincent Vermeij scored twice, paved the way for Dresden's victory. After the match, the focus was primarily on the differing assessments of two very similar incidents by the refereeing team – incidents which both coaches subsequently evaluated identically.
For the first time since October, Darmstadt 98 finished a league match without any points: SV 98 lost 3-1 (2-0) to SG Dynamo Dresden. After a controversial red card against Patric Pfeiffer (42nd minute), the home side scored two goals in first-half stoppage time to secure the victory.
Under the floodlights at the Rudolf-Harbig-Stadium. On Friday evening (February 27th/6:30pm), Darmstadt 98 will play away against Dynamo Dresden. Florian Kohfeldt has made three changes to his starting eleven. Raoul Petretta makes his first start, replacing Fabian Holland. Luca Marseiler starts in place of the suspended Marco Richter, and Hiroki Akiyama replaces Fraser Hornby, who is sidelined with a thigh injury. Fabian Nürnberger, Matthias Bader, and Bartosz Bialek remain unavailable due to injury.
A floodlit match at the Rudolf-Haribig-Stadion is always something special. Darmstadt 98 are aiming to take three points back to southern Hesse this Friday evening (February 27th). Kick-off is at 6:30pm. All the important information about the 24th matchday of the 2. Bundesliga is clearly summarised for you in our "Matchday Guide".
Darmstadt 98 aim to extend their unbeaten run to 14 games in Friday evening's match against Dynamo Dresden. While Darmstadt's potent attack has resulted in a respectable goal tally, they are wary at the Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion. The Saxons have been on an upward trend since the winter break and will have a vociferous home crowd behind them. We've compiled all the facts and figures surrounding this clash in this report. Here you'll find the key facts for tomorrow's match.
Darmstadt and Dresden are 598 kilometres apart. On Friday evening (February 27th, 6:30pm), SV Darmstadt 98 will travel to the Saxon capital for the 24th matchday of the 2nd Bundesliga. The next away game will take place under the floodlights at the historic Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion. You can find all relevant fan information here.
Before SV Darmstadt 98 plays under floodlights in Dresden on Friday evening (27.02/18.30), Florian Kohfeldt spoke at the press conference about the strengths of Dynamo Dresden and the special atmosphere in the Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion.
Raoul Petretta joined SV Darmstadt 98 in the winter and already feels very much at home. He talks about his arrival and his goals. Besides their sporting focus, the Lilies are also committed to sustainability: On March 15, 2026, over 3,500 trees will be planted as part of the fifth "In the Sign of the Lily" tree-planting campaign. In our "Lilies Across the Board" section, we provide you with the most important news from SV Darmstadt 98 every week.
Numerous Dynamo Dresden fans flock to the stadium on home match days. But one day, they came for a single reason: What should their stadium be called in the future? Tens of thousands of supporters gathered in front of the Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion, ready to cast their votes. In cooperation with regional partners, Dynamo Dresden's management took the unusual step of letting the club's supporters decide for themselves.
WirLilien – Together for nature conservation! Together with our partner Krombacher, we will once again plant more than 3,500 trees on Sunday (March 15th) – under the banner of the Lily. You can still register for the event at short notice.
On Friday (February 27th, 7:30pm), SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team begins the second phase of their Hessenliga season. With 23 points after 20 matchdays, the Lilies are currently in 14th place. Following intensive weeks of winter training, the team aims to start the upcoming challenges with renewed energy and secure crucial points.
A fast-paced, thrilling exchange between SV Darmstadt 98 and Fortuna Düsseldorf reached its ecstatic climax in the 88th minute. Thanks to Matej Maglica's header, Darmstadt secured a 2-1 victory in a wild battle that resembled a 12-round boxing match, with both sides neglecting their defences and constantly searching for the next hook or punch. A day later, sv98.de looks back on what was probably the most exciting home game of the season so far for the South Hessian side.