VfB Homberg is heading into the winter break in seventh place in the standings. If sporting director Frank Hildebrandt has his way, the team should move up at least one spot in the second half of the season. The top third of the table is the Duisburg-based club’s goal.
With Fabio Ribeiro (35), who has played 133 Regional League and 160 Oberliga matches, a seasoned player is leaving coach Stefan Janßen’s team.
Frank Hildebrandt, how would you rate your team’s first half of the season?
We’ve had a pretty mixed first half of the season. We’re in seventh place, which isn’t too bad, but we would have liked a few more points. If I were to give a school grade, it would be a C—just so-so.
What has been the highlight for you so far?
The win against KFC Uerdingen was definitely a highlight. That was a clear victory in front of a large crowd. Another highlight was our exit from the Lower Rhine Cup against Rot-Weiß Oberhausen. We also had a great crowd on the Rhine embankment there, and unfortunately we were narrowly eliminated by RWO.
And what was the biggest negative experience?
That reminds me of the six-game winless streak. Fortunately, we were able to end that with the win in the last game in Kleve. Fortunately, we managed to do that in 2025, so we don’t have to carry that streak into the new year.
Will there be changes to the squad during the winter break?
As previously announced, Fabio Ribeiro will be leaving us. This is due to personal and professional reasons. He is changing jobs to a position that is further away, so he can no longer commit to Oberliga soccer. We’ll have to find a replacement for him in defensive midfield. We’re currently in talks.
What are your goals for the rest of the season?
Our goals haven’t changed: We’ve always said that we want to finish in the top third of this very competitive league. That goal remains the same. Even though in this league, you always have to keep an eye on the teams behind you. But I’m convinced that with this team, we can push into the regions where we want to finish.
