Great relief at Rot-Weiss Essen: after RWE’s 2-0 win against SC Freiburg II, calm has returned to the environment. The sporting director is also pleased.

With eight matchdays to go, Rot-Weiss Essen is on course in the 3rd division: seven points ahead of the first relegation spot after the 2-0 win over SC Freiburg II.

Before the game, there was criticism in the Essen environment, especially of the coach. Jörn Nowak tried to put the brakes on the criticism during the half-time break on “Magenta Sport”.

“We all have ourselves to blame for the phase we are in. The team, the coaching team, the people in charge,” emphasised the sporting director. In the end, everyone in Essen should be united again after this match – including the coach and his critics. Because RWE won 2:0! As a reminder: The Freiburg team had arrived at Hafenstraße with a streak of twelve games in a row without a defeat.

The fact that it was the RWE strikers Simon Engelmann and Ron Berlinski, of all people, who were responsible for the defeat of the Breisgruen team was a special touch.

We have to make a development there. Whether that will be through external reinforcements or performance explosions, we’ll see. But we definitely have to step it up a notch to take the next step.

Jörn Nowak on squad planning 23/24

Because Engelmann last scored in the first leg in Freiburg (3:0). That match took place in October (!) 2022. And Berlinski was last successful in the 5:3 in Oldenburg from November 2023.

Both contracts expire after the end of the season. But Nowak revealed: “In the event of staying in the league, Ron Berlinski’s contract will be extended by another year.” And RWE is well on the way there.

And what is the situation with Engelmann? “We are in close contact and know how important Simon Engelmann is for us. We will talk again and make a decision,” replied the 36-year-old RWE manager.

Nowak added, regarding the squad for the 2023/2024 season: “We have to complete a development. Whether that will be through external reinforcements or performance explosions, we will see. But we definitely need to step it up a notch to take the next step. “