FC Kray is still without a win in its first five competitive games. However, the sporting director of the premier league team remains calm in view of the bumpy start.
FC Kray is still winless after five competitive games. In the Oberliga Niederrhein, the football club from Essen is in 17th place in the table after two draws and two defeats. On Wednesday evening (24 August), FC Kray also lost 0:1 against the Landesliga team 1. FC Wülfrath in the first round of the Lower Rhine Cup. Rudolf Zedi, FC Kray’s sporting director, is not worried by the rather bumpy start, however.
Zedi, FC Kray’s sporting director since this summer, is mainly complaining about the referee’s decisions at the beginning of the season. “Even before the cup match, there were certain side noises,” says the 47-year-old. He is referring to the referees’ wrong decisions, which would run like a “red thread” through the Kray team’s first competitive games.
In the last two league games against 1. FC Kleve and TuRU Düsseldorf, a red card was given to a Kray player. One matchday earlier, at home against VfB Hilden, the referee even showed three yellow-red cards. Zedi also saw his team disadvantaged in the cup duel: “We scored a goal that was legal and didn’t get a clear handball penalty. There have simply been many decisions against FC Kray lately.” However, the Kray team was able to announce a success during the week: A reduction of the two red suspensions could be achieved with the association.
Coach question does not arise, Zedi calls for patience
The sporting director doesn’t want to raise the question of the coach despite the winless series: “The question is a joke for me. We only had five players under contract at the beginning of July. We were faced with a mammoth task of putting the squad together.” In the current squad (24 men), 19 players moved to the KrayArena in the summer. Even in the face of this major upheaval, the sporting director calls for patience. “We have the youngest team in the league and have only been in the season for two and a half weeks. It would be fatal to question the path we have taken,” emphasises Zedi. For the time being, it is important to give the team and the coaching staff time.
FC Kray’s next league match is next Sunday (28 August, 3 pm). Their opponents are 1. FC Monheim, who are currently in sixth place in the table, but who also suffered a first-round exit in the Lower Rhine Cup on Wednesday evening. “I know Monheim. They are a strong team, especially at home, and a seasoned Oberliga team. We are still on our way there. For the game, the form of the day will be decisive,” predicted Zedi.
