SV Straelen remain at the bottom of the Regionalliga West table after a 1-0 defeat to Fortuna Köln. However, coach Bekim Kastrati has not lost hope yet.
With their fourth defeat in a row (0:1 against Fortuna Köln), SV Straelen are still at the bottom of the table in the Regionalliga West. Coach Bekim Kastrati was not dissatisfied after the defeat: “It’s not an easy situation. Also the way we lost the game against Fortuna Cologne again. That annoys you, that hurts, I feel sorry for the boys. We play decent games, but don’t reward ourselves and are empty-handed again.”
Straelen had a promising start under Kastrati. After a 2-0 defeat on their debut against Rot Weiss Ahlen, the team won the following two league games against Wattenscheid (4-0) and Wiedenbrück (1-0). Since then, however, there have been four defeats in a row. For Kastrati, the defeat against Aachen in particular plays a major role: “It started well with the two wins. But with the two red cards against Aachen, things started to go wrong. That has already ruined a lot. I was aware of the chain reaction, but the team still put in good performances against Gladbach and Fortuna Köln. “
Two red cards against Aachen as turning points
In the game against Aachen, both Jaron Vicario and Philipp Kenan Dünnwald were shown the red card for assault. Curious: both committed this on Aachen’s Lukas Wilton. Straelen were leading 2-1 at the time, but lost 4-2 in the final quarter of an hour when they were double shorthanded.
“The two losses hurt us already. The boys know what they have done and they are also sorry. It does hurt what such a short moment did. They both got their internal punishment and they always have to put away goals and material. I don’t think something like that will happen to them again,” Kastrati predicted with a laugh.
We certainly have one or two experts with us who think I play in the regional league, I can get away with anything. That’s what I’m fighting against and that’s why one or two of them don’t play sometimes.
Bekim Kastrati
Despite all the positivity and optimism that Kastrati radiates in his statements, the former professional also lashes out at some of the players in his team, without naming any names: “We certainly have one or two experts who think that I play in the regional league, that I can get away with anything. That’s what I’m fighting against, and that’s why some of them don’t play sometimes. But the majority of the team gives it their all.”
On the next matchday, Straelen will have the chance to get back on track at home against the U23 of 1. FC Köln and to close the already large gap of eleven points between them and the safety zone. Kastrati looks ahead with confidence: “We’re holding our own against all the problems and want to do better against Cologne. But of course we have to turn the corner at some point. The team is working well and hasn’t given up yet. That makes me confident. “