On Saturday, February 7, the top matchup in the Regionalliga West will take place. Rot-Weiß Oberhausen will host Fortuna Köln.
After 19 games, Rot-Weiß Oberhausen has 37 points, and after 20 games, Fortuna Köln has 43 points: This Saturday will feature a top matchup in the Regionalliga West.
RWO will host Fortuna Köln in front of what is sure to be a crowd of more than 4,000 spectators, including a good 500 visiting fans.
Ahead of this blockbuster match, Forecasting spoke with Fortuna President Hanns-Jörg Westendorf.
Hanns-Jörg Westendorf, how are you feeling ahead of the trip to Rot-Weiß Oberhausen?
We’re excited but focused. There will be more spectators than usual. That’s great. Between 500 and 600 Fortuna fans will also be traveling with us from Cologne. RWO has had a run of form just as strong as ours. We have great respect for Oberhausen, but we’re not afraid. We’re looking forward to the game.
Just one loss in 20 games, plus the league’s best offense and defense: What makes Fortuna Cologne so strong?
I was also at training camp for a few days recently. There, I was able to see once again what a great soccer team we’ve put together. And when I say that, I don’t just mean on the field—I mean as people, too. It’s that teamwork that makes the difference, and that’s how you achieve success. Everything is clicking very well for us right now. Matthias Mink is doing an outstanding job with the guys as both coach and sporting director.
If we don’t make it, then Rot-Weiß Oberhausen should. I get along very well with Marcus Uhlig. RWO really landed a great catch with him. They’re working very hard and would certainly deserve it
Hanns-Jörg Westendorf on RWO
What areas does Fortuna still need to work on if they’re to be promoted?
We currently have two priorities on our agenda: We’re making all the necessary preparations to apply for the 3. Liga license. Our managing director, Niklas Müller, is the point person for this. We also want to improve the comfort at the Südstadion. We’re planning to install a roof over the opposite stand. We’ve already obtained all the necessary building permits. It will be a steel grandstand. Our dream is to install it during the summer break, in just a few weeks.
How much money is being invested in this—what is Fortuna’s actual budget?
I’m not going to reveal the budget (laughs). But let me put it this way: We have roughly the same amount available as Rot-Weiß Oberhausen: that is, a good million euros for the Regionalliga team. And the steel grandstand will cost us just under a million euros. We’ll finance this ourselves over the course of several years.
What actually happens if Fortuna doesn’t get promoted?
The club will carry on, and we’ll make another attempt. But as you can see from the budget of just over a million, that amount is reduced year after year in the Regionalliga. It’s true that promotion is easier this season due to the absence of Essen, Duisburg, Aachen, and Münster, but it’s still by no means a given. The teams I mentioned all had budgets that were twice or even three times as large as ours. But right now, we have seven reserve teams in the league. They certainly aren’t making life any easier for us either.
Who would you like to see get promoted if Fortuna doesn’t make it?
If we don’t make it, then Rot-Weiß Oberhausen should do it. I get along very well with Marcus Uhlig. RWO really scored a coup with him. They’re working very hard and would certainly deserve it.