Rot-Weiss Essen has high hopes for Felix Götze. An ex-coach of the new Rot-Weiss can only congratulate the Essen team on this transfer.

In February 2021, Felix Götze moved on loan from FC Augsburg to 1. FC Kaiserslautern. The FCK coach at the time, Marco Antwerpen, was desperate to have the defensive specialist in his team.

The football coach was not to be mistaken. Götze performed well in the Palatinate, only a head injury set him back. In total, he played 36 competitive games for Kaiserslautern, scored three goals and set up three others.

He is a really good footballer who needs the confidence of the coaching team. He just has to feel comfortable, then he will also bring his performances.

Frank Döpper on Felix Götze

“I’m in contact with Felix, as I was with other guys from my time at Lauter. When the Essen thing became more concrete, I also spoke to Felix on the phone. I told him that it would be a good move because of his proximity to Dortmund.

Frank Döpper, who worked alongside Antwerpen as co-trainer at Kaiserslautern, still has a good relationship with Götze and told RevierSport: “We can only congratulate Rot-Weiss Essen on this transfer. I also told Felix that he should do it. It’s a good club with a lot of potential. Of course, everyone knows about the fan enthusiasm.”

Döpper adds, “I hope Felix can play through and stay injury-free. He also had a lot of bad luck at Kaiserslautern. I just remember the head injury. He is a really good footballer who needs the confidence of the coaching team. He simply has to feel comfortable, then he will also bring his performances.”

Döpper sees Götze at his strongest in the six-man position. “He even plays a tad more offensively than a nominal six,” he says. That could fit: Because with Clemens Fandrich, RWE has also signed a classic defensive midfielder. So Götze could easily direct the Essen midfield centre ahead of Fandrich. Perhaps as early as Friday, when FC Erzgebirge Aue are guests at the stadium on Hafenstraße from 7 p.m.