In a media briefing on Thursday (September 11th), Paul Fernie spoke about the start of the season, the recent transfer window, goals for the current season, and the collaboration with Florian Kohfeldt. We've summarised the key points.
We’ve started well. I was already satisfied with the entire preseason, and now we’re looking back on five different games. A fantastic game against Bochum, a tough slog against Nürnberg, advancing in the cup, the extremely exciting 0-0 draw against Hertha, and a game in Kaiserslautern in which we executed our plan well for a long time but ultimately couldn’t pull it off. We’ve started well with the seven points. But nothing more. Now we’re looking forward to Braunschweig.
We can be very satisfied with the transfer window. We said we were focused on fine-tuning and avoiding further upheaval. We implemented that. It was important that we were able to continue working on our core strategy. The signing of Patric Pfeiffer and the timing of the signing were very important for us in this regard. We managed to retain our key players. There was interest, enquiries, and offers for various players. But we said we could only make it if an offer made financial sense in relation to a player’s sporting value. And it’s extraordinary that no player came to my office expressing a desire to leave the club. The players feel comfortable and believe in their development. At the same time, as a club, we are also dependent on sales. We were able to generate revenue with Karol, Filip, Oscar, Clemens, and Andi. It’s always important to find the right moment to sell. We did that well with these players.
The question of a season goal is, of course, a popular one among journalists. For me, it’s something multifaceted. Finding continuity and consistency, consistently delivering performances and scoring points—that’s one goal. We want to win games and develop players at the same time. That’s a daily goal, and then there’s a long-term goal. After four matchdays, it’s still difficult to assess. But we want to be better than last season—with the hope of a single-digit finish in the table. In both cases, that would mean that we have performed significantly better than our financial situation would suggest compared to the rest of the league.
Boring answer: Always getting better. In the hope that we can always take a step forward. Even if that means taking a step back sometimes. We can assess where we stand. It’s no secret where we stand financially compared to the rest of the league. That’s why we all have to be creative. We will do everything we can to achieve maximum success with the resources we have.
I really enjoy working with Flo. He’s a great fit for our style of play, and he fits in with the club. We’ve experienced a lot in the past 12 months: highs, lows, and everything in between. Flo is a brutally strong coach, but at the same time, he has the ability to be a human being and has a special level of interaction with players and staff.
Darmstadt 98 lost to Hannover 96 while playing with ten men and must continue to wait for their first win of this second division season. Read our analysis to find out what positives remain and why Darmstadt 98 had factored in setbacks on their chosen path.
Around the time of the home game against Hannover 96 on Sunday (August 30th), the Jonathan Heimes Square was officially inaugurated. Before kickoff, club president Markus Pfitzner and Martin Heimes, father of Jonathan Heimes, who died of cancer about ten years ago, gave speeches highlighting "Johnny's" importance and his commitment to people with cancer.
The Lilien Team Marathon is not just about athletic performance and the shared experience around the Böllenfalltor stadium – but also about making a difference together.
The SV Darmstadt 98 U21 team drew 2-2 (0-1) against SV Unter-Flockenbach. After a heated home game, the young Lilies had to settle for a frustrating, but ultimately deserved, draw. In this extremely balanced league, Patrick Kurt's team continues to grow week by week, gaining valuable experience.
An emotional match with many controversial moments unfolded on Sunday afternoon at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. Ultimately, Darmstadt suffered their first home defeat of the young season. We've compiled the post-match reactions for you.
Tried everything, but to no avail: SV 98 came up short in their home game against Hannover 96. The final score was 1-0 (0-0) to the visitors, whilst the Lilies had to play with ten men after Vukotic was sent off in the 20th minute.
Home game against Hannover! On matchday 3, Darmstadt 98 will host the ambitious Lower Saxons at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. Florian Kohfeldt has made three changes to his starting lineup compared to the victory in Jena. Hiroki Akiyama replaces the suspended Kai Klefisch, while Nicolas Verkooijen (making his first start) and Yosuke Furukawa start in place of Carlo Sickinger and Manolo Merx.
Weekend, Lilies fever! On Sunday (August 30th/1:30pm), the Lilies have their third matchday on the schedule. Hannover 96, the club from the Lower Saxon capital, will be visiting the Bölle. What do the two head coaches have to say before kickoff? Who will be refereeing the match? And where can you watch the game? As usual, we've compiled all the important information about the match against Hannover in our "Matchday Guide"
One day before their home game against Hannover 96, Darmstadt 98 have announced another new signing. William Mikelbrencis will now wear the SV 98 jersey. The 22-year-old Frenchman was under contract with Hamburger SV until June 30th.
In the press conference before the second home game of the still young season, our head coach spoke about, among other things, our team's attacking play and the past week. As usual, you can find the most important statements before the match against Hannover 96 (August 30th/1:30pm) here for you.
A second-division team on the Berlin Mount Olympus: Hannover 96 achieved something unique in 1992. On May 23, the Lower Saxony club defeated Borussia Mönchengladbach in the DFB Cup final, securing another major title in the club's history 38 years after their German championship win in 1954. Hannover became the first and, to this day, only "true" second-division team to win the DFB Cup, causing one of the biggest upsets in the competition's history.
