Defender Jason Togbedji has been under contract with Westfalia Herne since the second half of the season and is one of the bright spots in Hayrettin Celik’s team.

Westfalia Herne continues to fight against relegation in the Westfalenliga II. Everything is still possible. The gap to a non-relegation place, occupied by local rivals SV Sodingen, is only four points. However, Sodingen have played two games less and can still extend their lead.

Coach Hayrettin Celik and his team want to avoid a worst-case scenario and have therefore made a number of changes to the squad during the winter transfer period. Among others, Jason Togbedji was signed from ETB Schwarz-Weiß Essen. The 21-year-old defender played an important role from then on and did not miss a single minute of the second half of the season.

In the home match against SC Neheim (2:3), the team from Herne let the victory slip out of their hands in injury time and missed the second three points in a row after the 2:1 at FC Iserlohn. A bitter setback, which must first be mentally processed. “Actually, we have to win the game. Especially in the current situation, it is of course very bitter,” said Togbedji.

Personally, things are going well for the former VfL Bochum youth player. At ETB, Togbedji did not get beyond the role of a supplementary player and can now prove himself at the senior level with Westfalia. “It does me a lot of good to play 90 minutes week after week. That’s how you get your own confidence back.” That’s why it doesn’t matter to him in which position he plays. In the past few games, the trained centre-back was shifted to the left side of defence by his coach.

Celik said of the left-footer’s development: “Jason has been given the opportunity to play with us. Of course, that is good for him. He is a fine boy. I hope he keeps it up and will continue to march for us. “

There’s life in the team

Jason Togbedji

Togbedji was visibly saddened after losing the home game, but at the same time made it clear that the mood in the dressing room would not stay that way for long. There is not much time to bury their heads in the sand. Next weekend, Herne will travel to fourth-placed RSV Meinerzhagen (2 April, 15:30).

The Essen native gave the supporters a little hope for the coming games: “There is life in the team. We are not giving up on ourselves and are convinced that we can keep our place in the league. The team has the quality to do so. We just have to keep going. Then we will also reward ourselves, as we did against Iserlohn. “