KFC Uerdingen ended the 2023 football year with a win. Coach Marcus John talks about the end-of-year conclusion, the goalkeeper situation and possible squad changes.

KFC Uerdingen can put the 2023 soccer year to rest. The Krefeld-based club ended the year with a 2-1 home win over VfB Homberg. After the last game before the winter break, Forecasting spoke with KFC coach Marcus John.

Marcus John, KFC Uerdingen end the 2023 football year in fourth place in the Oberliga Niederrhein table, nine points behind leaders Baumberg. How do you feel about the season so far as you head into the winter break?

We didn’t do well in the first third of the season. It took us too long. But now at the end, we can be satisfied with the sporting performance we have shown. Furthermore, we are still in the Lower Rhine Cup and have a big game against Rot-Weiss Essen ahead of us.

Goalkeeper Marvin Gomoluch was preferred to Robin Udegbe against Homberg, as he was in the weeks before and in the cup. Is he the new number one?

I wouldn’t leave it at that. Marvin confirmed his good performance against Homberg. In the new year, it’s an open fight again. The cards will be reshuffled during the winter break. I said that to both of them.

Nevertheless, Marvin Gomoluch can be counted among the winners of the first half of the season. What has he done better recently than Robin Udegbe?

He had a few lucky breaks in the game. Robin played in the first few games where the team didn’t perform so well. It wasn’t always his fault. In the cup, I then changed goalkeepers. Apart from the fact that Marvin made some very good saves, he also had the momentum on his side. He fought his way into the team very, very well.

Aaron Schreck is already the first winter departure. A farewell to Maurice Haar also seems likely in the winter. Will other players leave the club in the winter?

We will talk to a few players about how they saw the season unfolding and how we saw it unfolding. It is also clear that the players have contracts. We don’t want to chase anyone away. But there are bound to be some unhappy players.

And what about new signings?

That’s only possible if we get rid of players. Everyone knows about the financial situation here. That’s why a training camp in Dubai or a Harry Kane transfer are out of the question.

What are your hopes for the new football year 2024?

I hope that the club will be able to enjoy some peace and quiet and that we will continue to perform well in sporting terms, because then the other things will also go much more smoothly.