Coach Martin Hasenpflug has drawn his conclusions from the recent sporting misery at Ratingen 04/19 and has resigned.

Martin Hasenpflug is no longer coach of Niederrhein-Oberliga club Ratingen 04/19, the club announced on Monday, April 29. The 47-year-old’s resignation is a reaction to the club’s sporting downturn and the threat of missing out on promotion to the Regionalliga West.

“In my opinion, the team needs a new impetus for the last five match days in order to attack again! Having been at the club for almost 12 years, I believe that this is the best thing for the club and everyone involved in the current situation,” said Hasenpflug.

This marks the end of an era in Ratingen. Hasenpflug has been active at the club for more than a decade and has been coach of the first team since summer 2020. Sporting director Frank Zilles will take over as coach until the end of the season and will lead training on Monday evening before the next championship match against FC Büderich on Wednesday, May 1 at 3 p.m.

“We have great respect for Martin’s decision and would like to thank him for putting his own interests aside and proposing this move for the good of the club. After the performances of recent weeks, especially the subterranean performance in Schonnebeck, it is now up to the team,” commented President Jens Stieghorst and Michael Schneider, the club’s second chairman, on Hasenpflug’s decision.

Ratingen 04/19 are in danger of missing out on promotion to the Regionalliga West due to their recent sporting misery. The 0:6 at SpVg Schonnebeck at the weekend marked a new low.

“I’ve been saying it for weeks, I’m not interested in the subject. We lost 6-0 today,” the dejected Ratingen coach told Forecasting after the game and added: “We all have to question ourselves, first and foremost me of course.”

He has apparently now done so and drawn the consequences