DJK Blau-Weiß Mintard is playing a good season in the Landesliga Niederrhein 3. We spoke to coach Christian Knappmann about the current state of affairs.

DJK Blau-Weiß Mintard is playing a good season in the Landesliga Niederrhein 3. With 21 points from twelve games, the team is currently in 6th place in the table. The points average is 1.75, slightly below the target set by coach Christian Knappmann, who is nevertheless satisfied: “We are within touching distance of the top of the table. The fact that we are now only sixth in the table shows how close the league is. We would be well advised to think not only from game to game, but also in the long term. We must not lose sight of our target points average of 2.0.”

Yet even more would have been possible for Mintard. In their last match, they led 2-0 against ESC Rellinghausen until the 66th minute and were temporarily second in the table. But then Rellinghausen turned the game around in the last 25 minutes and Mintard were left empty-handed.

A course of events that is not new for the Blue-Whites and particularly annoys Knappmann: “It is annoying that we have given away a two-goal lead for the fourth time this season. Out of a possible twelve points, we then only scored two. That’s the only disappointing thing about the first half of the season. Otherwise, the boys are doing really well. We are still firmly convinced that we will have a real say in the promotion battle. “

“But if we look at the whole year, you have to say that the team has done exceptionally well.”

Christian Knappmann

Just a year ago, the team was deep in the relegation battle. Then Knappmann took over. The team saved itself by a convincing remaining season to a great 4th place. The 41-year-old coach also knows where his team is coming from: “We must not forget where we were just under a year ago. That’s why there’s the current way of looking at things, where we’re a bit annoyed about the points we’ve dropped. But if we look at the whole year, we have to say that the team has done exceptionally well.”

There is one game left in the first half of the season. Mintard will host SV Wermelskirchen (Sunday, 27 November, 3:30 pm). After that, there are two more games in the second half of the season before the team goes on a well-deserved holiday in mid-December.

During this time, Mintard will probably only do something on the transfer market in case of emergency, as Knappmann reveals: “We are satisfied with the squad. Our captain, Max Haubus, has been out for a long time now, so if he doesn’t come back soon, we’ll do something. We also have to look at the goalkeeper position, as our goalkeeper Dominic Hass might have surgery in the winter. Otherwise, we are satisfied all around and continue to work on the vision of making the impossible possible. But if we don’t succeed, it’s not a disaster. “