Rot-Weiss Essen are without a win in seven games and after the 0:1 at Viktoria Köln the first expressions of displeasure come from dUhlig about fan criticism, expectations of the team and emergency plan for Regionalliga

Rot-Weiss Essen are without a win in seven games and after the 0:1 at Viktoria Köln the first expressions of displeasure are coming from the fan scene. RS spoke to Marcus Uhlig.

Before the derby against Borussia Dortmund II (Sunday, 19 February, 2 p.m., RevierSport live ticker), the mood at Rot-Weiss Essen is not the best.

After the 0:1 loss at Viktoria Köln, the team was criticised by some of the fans for the first time this season. They expressed their displeasure about the performance in Cologne with loud shouts – “We want to see you fight”. Coach Christoph Dabrowski has already commented on the fan criticism.

Now Marcus Uhlig, chairman of the board of the third division club, has also commented on the current sporting situation, the fan criticism and an emergency plan for the regional league.

Marcus Uhlig, from nine games without defeat it has suddenly become seven games without a win: How do you assess these series and RWE’s current starting position in the relegation battle?

This series of nine games without defeat is something we should all forget. In my opinion, it was talked about too much and too positively in public anyway. And I think that perhaps this has thrown a bit too much sand in the eyes of one or two people. Currently we have to deal with the second series you mentioned. That is our topic. The fact is that we haven’t won in seven games. The last win was in Oldenburg at the beginning of November. Now it’s the middle of February. So we haven’t won for three and a half months.

Of course, internal planning also includes a plan scenario for the Regionalliga. Anything else would be completely negligent. But nevertheless, it is important to sharpen everyone’s senses as much as possible so that this plan can stay in the drawer.

Marcus Uhlig

Where do you see the sporting reasons for this misery?

There’s no denying that we’ve had a very hard time creating chances since the five goals in Oldenburg. And with the few chances we do create, we are not compelling enough in our finishing. The three goals we scored between Oldenburg and Cologne all came from standard situations. We have to break this trend as soon as possible in order not to worsen our still good starting position.

After the game against Viktoria Köln, you could hear voices of discontent coming from the RWE fan block for the first time in a long time. Can you understand this anger?

Yes, I can absolutely understand that our fans were angry. I was too. But after the final whistle in Cologne on Monday, I really didn’t see anyone among us who wasn’t pissed off. Including the sports director, coach, staff and players.

Do you think that the result against Borussia Dortmund II on Sunday will be decisive for the next few weeks in terms of the mood in the surrounding area?

Things can always move quickly in football, especially in this 3rd division. That’s why we should start winning games again as soon as possible to avoid slipping further down the table. And looking ahead to Sunday, let’s put it positively: We all know Hafenstraße. If the performance and result against BVB are right, then we’ll experience a turnaround in terms of atmosphere.

What did you dislike about the RWE game at Viktoria Cologne and what do you expect from the team on Sunday?

Overall, I didn’t like the game in Cologne at all. As good as the performance was against MSV before, it was just as bad in Cologne on Monday. But I think everyone knows that. I didn’t have the maximum willingness, the last ounce, to really invest everything. That step, that extra metre to run. In any case, we didn’t really feel the greed to take three points here and now.

Some of the fans accused the team of lacking fight and commitment after the Cologne performance – did you?

Again, I don’t think you can accuse the team of not fighting. But there is a difference between “fighting” and “really throwing everything in”. Christoph Dabrowski said after the game that you have a problem in the 3rd Division if this willingness is not 100 per cent, but perhaps only 99.5 per cent. I think he got to the heart of the matter. It won’t be enough like that. That has to change if we want to get back on track. And ideally, we should start against Dortmund. But the truth is also that I have every confidence in our team to do just that. They actually have all these required attributes in them. And I’m hopeful that they’ll put them into practice again against BVB.

16 games are still to be played and RWE has a five-point lead over the relegation places – nevertheless, the question: Is there some kind of emergency plan for the regional league or is that a taboo subject? Internal planning naturally includes a plan scenario for the regional league. Anything else would be completely negligent. But we still need to sharpen everyone’s senses as much as possible so that this plan can stay in the drawer.

er Fanszene auf. RS spoke to Marcus Uhlig.

Before the derby against Borussia Dortmund II (Sunday, 19 February, 2 p.m., RevierSport live ticker), the mood at Rot-Weiss Essen is not the best.

After the 0:1 loss at Viktoria Köln, the team was criticised by some of the fans for the first time this season. They expressed their displeasure about the performance in Cologne with loud shouts – “We want to see you fight”. Coach Christoph Dabrowski has already commented on the fan criticism.

Now Marcus Uhlig, chairman of the board of the third division club, has also commented on the current sporting situation, the fan criticism and an emergency plan for the regional league.

Marcus Uhlig, from nine games without defeat it has suddenly become seven games without a win: How do you assess these series and RWE’s current starting position in the relegation battle?

This series of nine games without defeat is something we should all forget. In my opinion, it was talked about too much and too positively in public anyway. And I think that perhaps this has thrown a bit too much sand in the eyes of one or two people. Currently we have to deal with the second series you mentioned. That is our topic. The fact is that we haven’t won in seven games. The last win was in Oldenburg at the beginning of November. Now it’s the middle of February. So we haven’t won for three and a half months.

Of course, internal planning also includes a plan scenario for the Regionalliga. Anything else would be completely negligent. But nevertheless, it is important to sharpen everyone’s senses as much as possible so that this plan can stay in the drawer.

Marcus Uhlig

Where do you see the sporting reasons for this misery?

There’s no denying that we’ve had a very hard time creating chances since the five goals in Oldenburg. And with the few chances we do create, we are not compelling enough in our finishing. The three goals we scored between Oldenburg and Cologne all came from standard situations. We have to break this trend as soon as possible in order not to worsen our still good starting position.

After the game against Viktoria Köln, you could hear voices of discontent coming from the RWE fan block for the first time in a long time. Can you understand this anger?

Yes, I can absolutely understand that our fans were angry. I was too. But after the final whistle in Cologne on Monday, I really didn’t see anyone among us who wasn’t pissed off. Including the sports director, coach, staff and players.

Do you think that the result against Borussia Dortmund II on Sunday will be decisive for the next few weeks in terms of the mood in the surrounding area?

Things can always move quickly in football, especially in this 3rd division. That’s why we should start winning games again as soon as possible to avoid slipping further down the table. And looking ahead to Sunday, let’s put it positively: We all know Hafenstraße. If the performance and result against BVB are right, then we’ll experience a turnaround in terms of atmosphere.

What did you dislike about the RWE game at Viktoria Cologne and what do you expect from the team on Sunday?

Overall, I didn’t like the game in Cologne at all. As good as the performance was against MSV before, it was just as bad in Cologne on Monday. But I think everyone knows that. I didn’t have the maximum willingness, the last ounce, to really invest everything. That step, that extra metre to run. In any case, we didn’t really feel the greed to take three points here and now.

Some of the fans accused the team of lacking fight and commitment after the Cologne performance – did you?

Again, I don’t think you can accuse the team of not fighting. But there is a difference between “fighting” and “really throwing everything in”. Christoph Dabrowski said after the game that you have a problem in the 3rd Division if this willingness is not 100 per cent, but perhaps only 99.5 per cent. I think he got to the heart of the matter. It won’t be enough like that. That has to change if we want to get back on track. And ideally, we should start against Dortmund. But the truth is also that I have every confidence in our team to do just that. They actually have all these required attributes in them. And I’m hopeful that they’ll put them into practice again against BVB.

16 games are still to be played and RWE has a five-point lead over the relegation places – nevertheless, the question: Is there some kind of emergency plan for the regional league or is that a taboo subject? Internal planning naturally includes a plan scenario for the regional league. Anything else would be completely negligent. But nevertheless, it is important to sharpen everyone’s senses as much as possible so that this plan can stay in the drawer.