MSV Duisburg will kick off the new season on June 17. That’s when coach Dietmar Hirsch asks his protégés to get the ball rolling. Seven players are currently under contract.
With Maximilian Braune, Batuhan Yavuz, Jan-Simon Symalla (both own U19s), Alexander Hahn (Preußen Münster), Jihad Boutakhrit (FSV Frankfurt), Moritz Montag (Rot-Weiß Oberhausen) and Malek Fakhro (1. FC Bocholt), seven players are currently under contract with MSV Duisburg for 2024/2025.
The kick-off is scheduled for June 17. Coach Dietmar Hirsch and squad planner Chris Schmoldt still have a lot to do before then.
Forecasting spoke to Chris Schmoldt about the current situation and future squad plans.
Chris Schmoldt, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the status of the squad planning?
We are right on target and on schedule. A lot of things were already prepared during the final phase of the past season. It’s always easier when it’s well prepared. The fans don’t need to worry. We will present a good team.
Seven players are under contract so far. How many will there be by the start on June 17?
I don’t want to be tied down to a specific number. But we’re well on the way to welcoming significantly more than the current seven players at the start of training. It has to work out in the end. We’re not going to aim for June 17 by hook or by crook. I can remember that we only had a little more than ten players at the first training session after the 2018/2019 second division relegation. And we still put together a good team and played a decent round. We’ll do the same this time.
You have to build a completely new team. What is the biggest challenge when it comes to transfers?
Of course, you are offered a lot of players. Players and advisors come from everywhere. We have to filter them carefully. But of course we also have our own ideas, which we have prepared and want to realize. As the saying goes, mentality beats quality. We pay a lot of attention to the character of the players. But in the end, it has to be a mixture of good character and decent quality.
Who else are you talking to from the relegated squad?
I don’t want to mention any names. But it’s not a handful of players
We work very, very closely with Michael Preetz. That’s why the rumors don’t fit into the picture at all. I’m delighted to have such an expert at my side in Michael. Everything else that is said or written is of relatively little interest to me. The important thing is that I feel the trust in the club.
Chris Schmoldt
And Thomas Pledl?
That’s a special case, of course. He was one of the best players last season. Shortly before the end of the season, he suffered a very hard blow when he tore his cruciate ligament. It is clear that he will not receive any external offers. He will be out for many months to come. But we also see ourselves as having a social responsibility here. We will work on a solution for Thomas Pledl and we will not let the youngster go.
Will Kaan Inanoglu, the under-19 striker – 13 games, twelve goals – stay?
Like Batuhan Yavuz, Kaan is currently on an U19 international trip with Turkey. When he returns, we’ll see where his path takes him.
How difficult is it for you personally to put together a new squad at the moment?
In this form, it’s a new situation for me. But it’s reminiscent of the relegation season from the 2nd division. It’s extremely intense, but it’s also fun. I’m young and full of energy. There are no plans to take a vacation this summer. We first have to make sure that we put together a strong team for MSV Duisburg.
There have been rumors recently that you could also lose your job. How much do such rumors affect you?
I don’t take it personally. Of course I know that the position of MSV squad planner is a critical personnel matter in this situation. But I can’t deal with such things any more. I have enough to do with squad planning. We work very, very closely with Michael Preetz. That’s why the rumors don’t fit into the picture at all. I’m pleased to have such an expert at my side in Michael. Everything else that is said or written is of relatively little interest to me. The important thing is that I feel the trust in the club. And that is the case