In an interview, Rot-Weiss Essen’s Felix Bastians comments on the start of the season. He praises the RWE fans – and defends the defensive style of play.
Felix Bastians has spoken in an interview about Rot-Weiss Essen’s false start in the third division. “The fight to stay in the league has already begun and I think everyone has understood that,” the defender told the football culture magazine “11Freunde”.
From his point of view, the start of the season “went badly. Especially the 1:5 in the first game of the season against SV Elversberg.” The team could not have started the season worse, “especially at home, where the euphoria after promotion was still palpable,” the 34-year-old continued.
Rot-Weiss Essen: Bastians talks about the defensive system
Christoph Dabrowski reacted to the negative results, made changes and had his team play more defensively than before on matchday four against Borussia Dortmund’s U23. Since then, the coach has repeatedly reverted to a five-man backline. This is how he stabilised Rot-Weiss Essen. For Bastians, who was in the starting eleven in all games this season and scored two goals, this change came at the right time.
“Offensive football is what everyone wants to play, but I want to win games. It’s a quality to react and not die an open death,” said the long-time VfL Bochum professional. RWE have had to adapt in the new league, he said.
“Last season, every opponent at Hafenstraße got in behind because we were the favourites. That’s no longer the case,” stressed Bastians, who still gets goosebumps at the thought of promotion. The season finale and the decisive victory against Ahlen were “crazy”.
Rot-Weiss Essen’s Bastians praises the fans
And so Bastians praised the fans. “Our fans are the fist pledge, they are still positive.” Despite the botched start, with RWE winning just one game in eight, the supporters remained calm. They continue to support the team unconditionally.
Bastians, meanwhile, does not have the feeling that the mood could tip. “We’ve all understood that it’s all about re-establishing ourselves in professional football,” he went on to tell “11Freunde”, adding, “We realise that people expect exactly that from us: not to be relegated.”
Rot-Weiss Essen can clinch their second victory in the third division next Monday. Then the so far unbeaten 1. FC Saarbrücken will come to the stadium at Hafenstraße (19 September, 7 p.m.).
