Spvg Schonnebeck are continuing to climb the table in the Oberliga Niederrhein and are suddenly facing problems that they hadn’t expected for a long time.
On the 21st matchday of the Oberliga Niederrhein, VfB Hilden, who had previously only won in 2024, suffered a surprising 2:5 (0:4) defeat against Spvg Schonnebeck, who will now have to start thinking about a possible application for the Regionalliga West.
The result could hardly have been any clearer, although the performance of the “Swallows” was not as extreme as the result ultimately suggests. “We wanted to defend boldly up front with four suspended players, which I wasn’t at all dissatisfied with. The only thing that didn’t work so well was our counter-attacking defense,” was Tim Schneider’s sober analysis of the home defeat.
The VfB Hilden coach was by no means totally disappointed. “We lost our bearings in the box too often, but I’m not completely dissatisfied with my team’s performance. Schonnebeck are a weapon, they do a damn good job,” said Schneider in praise of the visitors.
While Hilden is looking for a successor to Dennis Lichtenwimmer (who, according to RS information, is to join RWO) for the position of sporting director, rumors quickly spread that a possible candidate had already been found in Toni Molina. The former SV Wacker Obercastrop coach was also at the sports facility. “Nothing to it,” commented Molina in unison with chairman Maximilian Kulesza. However, according to forecasting information, talks have already taken place.
Spvg Schonnebeck are currently having completely different thoughts. While Hilden already made a clear statement on the subject of the regional league a week ago with a rejection, Schettersbusch is considering whether it makes sense to submit the license documents
Especially after the win in Hilden, the Spvg is back at the top. “We have to weigh up whether it makes sense for us. Of course, the whole thing presents us with major challenges. The club is active and will make a decision in the next few days,” said Dirk Tönnies, giving an insight into the club’s deliberations.
Ratingen has once again failed to score, Uerdingen has only one point more than Schonnebeck – with one more game to play. This means that if Baumberg does not get the license, the “swallows” are lurking. “We would have to move because we can’t currently host a regional league match at our ground. That is a cost factor. We have to look at everything soberly and analyze whether it makes sense for us. If it does, then not by hook or by crook,” said Tönnies, criticizing the association’s statutes and requirements in particular.
“We would like to play a season in the regional league if it were possible, but there are completely different factors that have to be taken into account,” concluded the Spvg coach.
Nevertheless, he was delighted with his team’s success: “We were very effective in the first half and executed some great transitional moves. Perhaps we were just a tad more aggressive than Hilden. The duels are always exciting and I’m already looking forward to next season against VfB,” revealed Tönnies, who perhaps still has a little bit of the regional league in the back of his mind.
