In the Oberliga Westfalen, everything is still open at the top before the start after the winter break. SV Westfalia Rhynern can also dream of promotion to the Regionalliga West.

The Oberliga Westfalen kicks off again this weekend. We can look forward to an exciting battle for promotion. The top two teams will be promoted to the Regionalliga – although top team Preußen Münster II will not be promoted.

Right in the middle of the promotion race: SV Westfalia Rhynern and coach Michael Kaminski. Before the restart after the short winter break, SV are in fourth place in the table with 31 points. Rhynern are just four points away from leaders SC Preußen Münster II, although Rhynern still have a match to play.

Nevertheless, caution is called for, because there is also a long way to go. Seventh-placed ASC Dortmund are only three points behind Kaminski’s team. No team from the top can afford a bad series.

Definitely not an easy situation. Normally, the coach would focus on preparation, but this year it was precisely that which was sparse, not least due to the weather conditions. Of five planned test matches, three had to be cancelled, while none of the remaining two games could be won.

Kaminski remains relaxed: “I’m relaxed about it, because in January that’s how it is sometimes. We simply went to the soccer hall or the gym and were able to work on our game. Those who trained with us are definitely fit.”

A long preparation can sometimes bring more negatives than positives anyway, the coach explains. “Because of the situation in the standings, the boys and I are keen to continue playing at the top and are happy that things are finally getting underway again. All we do is play test matches all the time – it gets boring at some point. “

The goal is to stay on top, of course, and that’s also more fun.

Michael Kaminski

In addition, centre-forward Jonas Telschow was brought in from TuS Bövinghausen in the winter, three players from Rhynern’s youth now have the opportunity to show themselves in the Oberliga squad. Kaminski is satisfied with his personnel: “As of now, nothing more will happen. The team did excellently in the first half of the season, so why change it? I’d rather give the boys my trust than make unnecessary changes now.”

For Rhynern, things get underway again on 29 January at 2.30pm against last-placed TuS Ennepetal. A supposedly easy start, as the bottom team won two of the last three games before the winter break with a new coach. One week later, a real challenge awaits them against third-placed SC Paderborn II.

Kaminski is only planning for the near future: “If we manage to win our games before the carnival break, we can build up a comfortable points cushion. Staying further up is the goal, of course, and that’s also more fun.”

To achieve this goal, there is no need to work with pressure, says the coach. It’s more about building on the performance of the first half of the season: “That’s what it’s all about and then we can see where that takes us in the end. The boys should just show from week to week what is possible. “