Kevin Stöger has started the preparation with VfL Bochum. This is what he says about the first days of training and the increased competition.

The professionals of VfL Bochum have completed the first days of summer preparation. On Saturday morning, coach Thomas Letsch made his team sweat in high summer temperatures.

“It was a strenuous session, but that’s part of it. It’s all the nicer when you’ve made it,” said midfielder Kevin Stöger afterwards. Especially since: “Now we have a day’s break, which will do us good.”

While the 29-year-old returned to Castroper Straße a year ago and played a solid season, it will be the first preparation with VfL for the six newcomers. Matus Bero (national team, will join on 12 July) and Moritz-Broni Kwarteng (pubic bone problems) have not yet been involved.

Felix Passlack, Lukas Daschner, Noah Loosli and Niclas Thiede, on the other hand, have – and the quartet has made a “good first impression” on Stöger. The Austrian explains: “It’s easy to integrate into our team. We take everyone with us.”

VfL Bochum: Stöger is happy about competition

Now Stöger is looking forward to the next few weeks. “That’s when we will play more football and the boys can show what they can do.” The first samples in the Bochum jersey will be on Tuesday. That’s when the first test match is scheduled. It’s against Kickers Emden (6 p.m.). “A nice change,” says Stöger.

The fact that with Broni-Kwarteng, Daschner and Bero three players were signed at the same time, who also increase the competitive pressure on Stöger, does not seem to bother the technician. “That is an invigorating element. It’s good when quality comes into the squad,” he explains. “It’s important to have two really strong players in every position to be able to react to absences.” (with gp)