After being relegated from the Regionalliga West, Rot Weiss Ahlen are back in the Oberliga after four years. In a test match against VfL Bochum, they lost 1:3
After four years in the Regionalliga West, Rot Weiss Ahlen have to return to the Oberliga Westfalen
Ahlen finished the season in last place in the table after a difficult season. At the same time, they conceded the most goals and scored the fewest goals of all teams (37:79, editor’s note).
In addition, the Red & Whites finished last in the home table and penultimate in the away table. The team failed on all levels. Relegation was therefore not undeserved and those responsible pulled the ripcord on the coach’s chair several times during the season
The current coach Björn Joppe took over from Orhan Özkara, who had in turn succeeded Daniel Berlinski. At the beginning of 2024, those responsible were certain that Joppe was the right man for the job and his contract was extended until 2026. This happened regardless of the league
The plan is to move up a league again. But we can’t rush things.
Coach Björn Joppe
The 45-year-old coach and his team were famously relegated to the Oberliga. Joppe now wants to use the preparation to establish a solid foundation. He told Forecasting: “Of course we want to play a good season. But that doesn’t mean we have to go straight back up. The aim will be to play at the top so that we can build something in the long term.”
Nevertheless, Ahlen wants to return to the regional league in the long term. He continued: “We want to move up a league again. But we can’t rush things. The aim should be to form a team that can stay in the Regionalliga for three or four years and not get relegated straight away.”
After relegation, Rot Weiss will also have a nominally fresh start. “We’ve only been able to keep four players in the squad. It will be a difficult task for everyone involved. The upheaval was huge. But internal cooperation is going very well. Everything has to find its feet first. Nevertheless, we have put together a good squad. The boys are capable of development and are up for the task,” emphasized Joppe.
The first mammoth task awaited the new Oberliga team on Saturday, July 6. Rot Weiss Ahlen tested against Bundesliga club VfL Bochum. VfL won the match 3:1 and Ahlen coach Joppe was satisfied: “Of course, the result is very good for us. It was a great performance by the lads, they did a great job. We scored the deserved 1:1 in the 83rd minute. With a bit of luck, the result looks better.”
However, the coach put the test into perspective and said: “VfL only started training three days before the game. Of course we noticed that. “