VfB Bottrop, as a newly promoted team in the Landesliga Niederrhein 2, has had a good season so far. Coach Dusan Trebaljevac is satisfied but humble.

VfB Bottrop has continued to perform well in the Landesliga Niederrhein 2 after being promoted to the league. Coach Dusan Trebaljevac’s team is in fourth place with 17 points from nine games. The team has only lost to Budberg, who are top of the table, and PSV Wesel-Lackhausen.

“We put together a completely new team after being promoted. To play a season like this as a promoted team is, of course, extraordinary. Logically, we are very satisfied as a coaching team. For every Bottrop resident who knows where we come from, this is also a great start,” Trebaljevac sums up the start of the season.

At the beginning of the season, the goal for the newly promoted team from Bottrop was still to avoid relegation. Even though his team is currently in 4th place, the 38-year-old does not want to change the season goal and emphasizes: “Of course we are trying to maintain this snapshot. But the opponents are also strong and do their job week after week. For us, it’s about continuity so that the club can plan for the new season as early as possible. But we also know that things can change very quickly in soccer.”

Looking at the goal difference, it is clear that Bottrop has by far the best defense in the league. In nine games, Bottrop goalkeeper Joel-Andre Frenzel has only had to reach behind him seven times.

For Trebaljevac, too, this good defense does not come out of nowhere: “That’s my approach to playing soccer. The game starts with an organized defense, but for us that starts in the front line. However, we don’t play chicken soccer, but bravely go forward with a certain security at the back.”

However, it is also true that Bottrop has scored fewer goals than the top ten teams. One of the players ensuring that the offense is at least partially effective is Enes Bilgin. The 23-year-old forward has scored four of Bottrop’s 13 goals and has earned special praise from his coach:

“He is a player who always gives his all for the team. He comes on with a lot of pace and always gives his all.“ However, Enes could have scored more. In the last game against Lowick, he had the chance to decide the game. But I’m sure that all the guys up front will soon break their duck and we’ll score more goals again.”