Third division club SC Verl is one of the positive surprises this season. Also thanks to midfielder Tom Baack.

For the first time in his professional career, Tom Baack faced Rot-Weiss Essen just under three weeks ago. It was a very special duel for the 23-year-old. Baack was born in Essen and took part in several RWE holiday camps when he was a youngster.

Since 01.07.2022, the central midfielder has been under contract with third-division club SC Verl. In the summer of 2021, Baack was loaned to Sportclub for one year by second-division club SSV Jahn Regensburg, where he impressed and was signed permanently after the end of the loan deal.

In the fair 1-1 draw against RWE, he played 87 minutes and did a very decent job in the centre of midfield alongside captain Mael Corboz and Vinko Sapina. Baack was also convincing in the following coup against 1. FC Saarbrücken (2:0) and the strong 1:1 draw at Waldhof Mannheim. Running strength, ball security, a high level of passing accuracy – these are the attributes that distinguish the Essen-born player.

Baack played 13 years for VfL Bochum

Baack is an important pillar for the SCV both against the ball and in the build-up play. His statistical values are almost all above average in his position. In addition, Verl play a very possession-oriented football that is built up through the centre. That is why the 23-year-old is an absolute key player under coach Michél Kniat and has been in the starting eleven 15 times this season – three times he had to miss out due to a foot injury. When Verl’s number five is fit, he plays from the start.

Tom Baack completed almost his entire football training at VfL Bochum. The defensive all-rounder laced up his boots at Castroper Straße from 2006 to 2019 and played his way through all the youth teams at VfL. He even captained the U19s on the pitch.

As a reward, the 41-time German junior international was given a professional contract in 2016. However, he failed to make the big breakthrough, making only four short appearances in the 2nd division. At SC Verl, Baack has finally found his feet in professional football and is surprisingly in eleventh place with the Sportclub. It will be exciting to see where his development will take him further.