After nine games without a win, SG Wattenscheid 09 have won again. Before the 2:1 win against S04’s U23, they even reactivated a goalkeeper from retirement.

Few would have expected that. With a 2:1 (2:0) win against FC Schalke 04’s U23, which has been so strong so far, SG Wattenscheid 09 has come back in the relegation battle of the Regionalliga West. A real exclamation mark.

The success is all the more remarkable because it came about with 15 absentees and a motley crew. In addition to the 14 players who were already unavailable, coach Christian Britscho had to cope with the loss of goalkeeper Bruno Staudt at short notice.

This was particularly dramatic because in addition to Kilian Neufeld, who himself was only brought out of the VDV camp before the game against Straelen with the support of Peter Neururer, the other goalkeepers were also unavailable. The number three in the squad Daniel Dudek broke his hand, the number four a muscle fibre tear. Another goalkeeper, whom sporting director Christian Pozo y Tamayo wants to bring in from Japan because of the misery, does not yet have a residence permit.

And so, without further ado, ex-keeper Philipp Kunz had to be brought in from the couch and reactivated. He hasn’t trained with the team for three years, but still has a playing permit that has been extended time and again just in case, which has now happened.

then that’s something that makes this club and all those who sympathise with it so exceptional.

Christian Britscho

Already last season he was on the bench for two games in the Oberliga after Staudt was sent off. Now again. “When you then get a call from Bruno and then have a Philipp Kunz, who you can also call at night and say: ‘Boy, we need you, please come over’ and his answer is: ‘Sure, when should I come over?’, then that is something that makes this club and all those who sympathise with it so extraordinary. And I am very happy and very proud of that. Thank you for making it the way it is,” said coach Christian Britscho.

Wattenscheid now wants to use the self-confidence from the win against Schalke mentally as well. “When we see each other on Monday, we don’t have to get anyone up. Then the boys don’t have to look at good scenes during the video analysis. Instead, this good feeling is there,” Britscho was pleased to say. And Philipp Kunz will probably sit on the couch again. Unless he is needed again.