Rot-Weiss Essen travels to SC Verl on Saturday (December 13, 4:30 p.m.). Uwe Koschinat is celebrating his one-year anniversary with Rot-Weiss Essen.
It was December 12, 2024, when Uwe Koschinat began his tenure at Rot-Weiss Essen and was introduced as the successor to Christoph Dabrowski.
A year later, the 54-year-old sat at the press conference ahead of the match against SC Verl and was asked by the media what the 365 days as coach of Rot-Weiss Essen had done for him.
Koschinat recalls: “In any case, a year ago I was absolutely aware of the initial situation. A year later, you can’t compare the situation. Right after I took over, we had a match coming up against two traditional clubs that were in the midst of extreme crises. VfL Osnabrück was actually in an even worse position than RWE.”
He goes on to explain: “It was very exciting to get to know a team in such a short time. The team then made tremendous progress. The fans made me feel that I’m allowed to be part of this club and be very close to them emotionally. They made me feel like I belong here.”
And Koschinat knows, of course, that expectations for the team, the coach—indeed, the entire club—have risen. “With the successes, expectations have also changed somewhat; they’ve been raised. The expectation for the final result is no longer just avoiding relegation. But we’re up for the challenge, and I also see further potential. With two successful weeks, we can have the best first half of the season in Third Division history, and that’s entirely in our own hands.”
RWE has 30 points to its credit. Still, there’s occasional grumbling. Koschinat has come to terms with this sometimes critical crowd and the media as well. He says: “At Rot-Weiss Essen, there’s always a ‘but.’ That’s just part of the club. We’re in a really great position right now.”
The Essen crowd may be critical at times, but they’re also very emotional toward their favorites—whether they’re coaches or players. Chants of “Uwe” are standard after wins. “I can’t deny that it made me very proud.”
“Uwe, Uwe” could ring out once again from the throats of some 2,000 Essen fans if Rot-Weiss Essen manages to secure an away win at SC Verl on Saturday—their first in over twelve years. Just in time for the red-and-white Koschinat anniversary—actually a perfect moment.