After relegation to the 3. Liga, Arminia Bielefeld also have to completely reinvent themselves. Since Wednesday, Arminia has been in preparation.
Arminia Bielefeld has to find a basis after a rapid relegation in the 3rd league. New coach Michel Kniat, who moved to Bielefeld from SC Verl, emphasised during his introduction: “The squad is so small that we can’t formulate a goal yet. People always talk about it being a difficult task. But in my eyes it is also an enormous opportunity. We have a blank sheet in front of us that we can now fill. We can sign players who fit us, our style and our way of playing. So I always see the glass half full as half empty and I’m looking forward to the task.”
There have been 26 departures for Arminia so far, but they have also been able to present some prominent names for the 3. Liga in the last few days. Nassim Boujellab (Schalke 04) and Aygün Yildirim (SSV Jahn Regensburg) promise a lot of quality, attacker Fabian Klos will remain loyal to Bielefeld even after another relegation – he is supposed to become the identification figure.
At the start of training on 28 June, 16 players and three keepers were on the pitch at the traditional club, which is still looking to complete its squad. Of these 19 players, five were junior talents, which shows how far there is still to go before the personnel is in place.
Similar to fellow relegated team SV Sandhausen, the upheaval will be huge, with everything being put together anew.
Just under 400 spectators turned out for the opening match to see who was already there. The first test match will take place on Saturday against SV Lippstadt.
Additions: Nassim Boujellab (Schalke 04), Aygün Yildirim (SSV Jahn Regensburg), Sam Schreck (FC Erzgebirge Aue), Merveille Biankadi (1.FC Heidenheim), Semi Belkahia (TSV 1860 Munich), Gerrit Gohlke (SV Waldhof Mannheim), Can Özkan (Borussia Dortmund II), Tom Geerkens (Fortuna Düsseldorf II), Louis Oppie (Hannover 96 II), Maximilian Großer (Hamburger SV II)
Departures: Robin Hack (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Guilherme Ramos (Hamburger SV), Sebastian Vasiliadis (FC Hansa Rostock), Bryan Lasme (FC Schalke), Oliver Hüsing (FC Hansa Rostock), Christian Gebauer (SCR Altach), Silvan Sidler (FC Winterthur), Arne Schulz (SC Paderborn), Nils Hahne (Victoria Clarholz), Andrés Andrade (LASK), Masaya Okugawa, Janni Serra, George Bello, Jomaine Consbruch, Lukas Klünter, Martin Fraisl, Burak Ince, Manuel Prietl, Benjamin Kanuric, Bastian Oczipka, Marc Rzatkowski, Sebastian Müller, Armin Gremsl (all unknown), Theo Corbeanu (on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers U21), Frederik Jäkel (on loan from RB Leipzig), Ivan Lepinjica (on loan from HNK Rijeka)