After difficult years in Wattenscheid, SG coach Christopher Pache wants to steer the club back into calmer waters. The coach is relying on patience and a team capable of development
SG Wattenscheid 09 has experienced a number of ups and downs in recent years. After withdrawing from the Regionalliga, they were promoted back to the fourth-highest division in 2022. The Bochum club was then relegated again in second-last place. A rollercoaster ride of emotions for all employees and fans of the sports community
Wattenscheid is currently playing in the Oberliga Westfalen again. The relegated regional league team finished the season in 13th place – a solid result, according to Wattenscheid coach Christopher Pache.
“We played a great second half of the season and secured our relegation early on. We’ve had some difficult years behind us and we had to cope with a major upheaval after relegation. That wasn’t easy, of course. That’s why I’m satisfied with the season. Now I want to build something and therefore look to the future,” explained Pache.
Sometimes patience is a little lacking.
Coach Christopher Pache
The former Bundesliga club Wattenscheid has suffered a lot in the last 20 years. Several relegations and the insolvency proceedings in 2019 damaged the club both in sporting and economic terms.
“The club and the fans have suffered a lot, that’s clear. Nevertheless, Wattenscheid still has a charm all of its own. It’s a great traditional club. Unfortunately, this also leads to unrest on the outside and the demands of fans and employees quickly become too great. We now have to develop healthily and build a stable team. The pressure in Wattenscheid is enormous. Sometimes we lack a little patience,” says the coach, analyzing Wattenscheid’s current situation.
Nevertheless, the 36-year-old shows understanding for the supporters: “I can understand every fan. They’ve had a really tough time in recent years and I can understand if the supporters want to see Wattenscheid in a different league. After the insolvency, however, we simply don’t have the financial backing and that has often put us in difficult situations. The team now has to find its feet and then develop. To do that, we need to clear our heads. We need calm in the team and in the club.”
Pache wants to use the preparation to form a solid and stable team. “Of course, we’ve also lost a lot of key players. That was a blow for us. Of course, it’s not always possible to replace losses one-to-one. We have rejuvenated ourselves, but there is still experience in the team. The boys are hungry and motivated. We want to impress with passion, structure and quality play. Mentality can often beat quality,” emphasized the head coach.
The long-awaited stadium renovation in Wattenscheid is also currently underway. The coach commented: “We must be very grateful for this opportunity. The new stadium will help the club move forward and everyone is keen for it. For my team, it’s about convincing the fans and the city that we deserve to play in a stadium like this. Nevertheless, I will always remember the Lohrheide Stadium. Back then, when Bundesliga soccer was still played here – that was a great time. “