Arminia Bielefeld is in a major sporting crisis. Things are getting tighter and tighter for coach Michel Kniat.
No win again, and not even a point: Arminia Bielefeld lost 2-0 to Viktoria Köln in front of more than 15,000 fans at their home ground. It was Arminia’s fifth defeat in a row. Only one of the last ten matches has been victorious.
Things are getting tighter and tighter for Michel Kniat. “We’ve had enough” and “Kniat out” chanted the fans following the 2-0 defeat against the visitors from Köln-Höhenberg. Arminia is now only two points above the bottom line. There is a threat of relegation from the 1st Bundesliga to the 4th league – within just three years.
The fans are on red alert. “That hurts, of course, and it doesn’t go unnoticed. But I know the business. A coach has to be judged by the results. And they’re not right at the moment. That’s why I can’t hold it against the fans,” said Kniat on “Magenta TV”.
The 38-year-old soccer coach, who Arminia bought out of his still valid contract at neighboring SC Verl last summer, continues to be combative. Kniat: “I still have one hundred percent conviction. If anyone says otherwise, they’re lying. I will give everything until the last day and turn things around.”
The words of Bielefeld’s Michael Mutzel do not exactly support the coach’s position. Arminia’s sporting director said: “We will analyze the game together, put our heads together and discuss it calmly without emotion. We want to be successful – regardless of the constellation. I had faith in the coaching team because I see how they work every day. But soccer is a results-based sport, we all know that. We need results now. And as quickly as possible.”
The statistics for the game
Bielefeld: Kersken – Lannert, Schneider, Großer, Oppie – Corboz, Mizuta (59. Shipnoski), Boujellab (59. Putaro) – Momuluh, Klos, Biankadi
Cologne: Voll – Handle, Schultz, Dietz, Lopes Cabral – Russo, Lorch (69. Greger), Philipp (90. Kubatta), Marseiler (80. Anselm) – Najar (79. Sticker), Becker
Referee: Richard Hempel (Großnaundorf)
Goals: 0:1 Schultz (44′), 0:2 Philipp (79′)
Yellow cards: Schneider, Biankadi (3) – Russo, Becker
Spectators: 15,629
