Before the start of the season, Forecasting has also asked around in the Oberliga Niederrhein to find out where their own journey is going and who will succeed in making the leap to the Regionalliga.
Which teams will play at the top and what are their expectations for their own season? Forecasting asked all 18 coaches in the Oberliga Niederrhein – here’s how they answered:
Sunay Acar (SV Straelen): “KFC Uerdingen is one of the top favourites, as it is every year. But Hilden, Ratingen and ETB also have a lot of potential to play for the championship. I think that the Oberliga has gained in level again, the top will be broader than last year. We have very good up-and-comers who will be good for a surprise. Of course, we want to do our best and play at the top as much as possible. It will be important for us to complete our squad planning as soon as possible so that we can form a unit. But we won’t panic and want players who convince us in human and sporting terms.”
Tim Schneider (VfB 03 Hilden): “The field of participants playing at the top is broad this year. In addition to title contenders on paper like KFC Uerdingen and SV Straelen, who also have the financial means, Ratingen and Schonnebeck have strengthened themselves well. SW Essen will be back at the top, not to mention TVD Velbert. I hope that we will also be in the same league. Even though good players have been taken away from us and we have to see how we can cope with that. But we will find solutions there as well.”
Jens Grembowietz (TVD Velbert): “Only KFC Uerdingen can be favourites. When you see how they’re upgrading, what’s happening there, it’s a completely, completely different league. Anything else would not only be a surprise, but a landslide. I think Straelen and Hilden will also play a good role, followed by a chasing pack of up to eight teams. We might want to get into the top third, maybe a single-digit place in the table, but we’ll be damned if we’re going to say we’re going to attack. We have far too many newcomers for that.”
Martin Hasenpflug (Germania Ratingen 04/19): “If you go by the budget, the favourites are KFC Uerdingen and SV Straelen. They have the task of having to put together a completely new squad, but they also have the most possibilities. After that I see VfB Hilden, ETB SW Essen, TVD Velbert and us. It will be important that we integrate the new players quickly, get a good start to the season and take the flow with us.”
Damian Apfeld (ETB SW Essen): “On paper, KFC Uerdingen is the absolute favourite in this league with the stadium, the fanbase and the financial possibilities. The past season has shown that other factors also play a role. But the likelihood that it won’t work the second time around isn’t that great either. At the end of the day, even though it will be very, very difficult, we already want to try to establish ourselves a bit in the top five. “
Marcus John (KFC Uerdingen): “I think Straelen will put out a good team again. ETB have also made good purchases again. Then I’ll add Hilden, who finished second twice in a row and are doing really well. Maybe you can also mention Ratingen. Our goal is to learn from the mistakes the club has made and to improve in the standings. It’s probably also no secret that we want to finish in the top three.”
Dirk Tönnies (SpVg Schonnebeck): “I don’t think there are two opinions. KFC Uerdingen, with its commitments, with its charisma, is the absolute top favourite. Behind them will be some clubs like Ratingen, TVD Velbert and Hilden. We want to settle between fifth and eighth place. If a bit more would go, it would be nice too.”
Kevin Kreuzberg (TSV Meerbusch): “I think everyone will name KFC Uerdingen first. Then the usual suspects like SW Essen, Ratingen or Hilden. Schonnebeck is also in a good position from my point of view. Our ambition is to take the next step and do a bit better. We have a relatively big upheaval now, many experienced players have left us, young ones have come in. That’s why it’s still too early to set a concrete target.”
Salah El Halimi (Sportfreunde Baumberg): “For me, the top five are clearly assigned, whereby KFC Uerdingen is the clear favourite with the framework conditions and possibilities. Then there are VfB Hilden, ETB SW Essen, Ratingen and Straelen. After that I see Velbert, Schonnebeck and us. We have the ambition to make up one or two places compared to last year. To do that, we have to be there from the start, because it will be an even more exciting and tight season this season due to the reduction of teams.”
Julian Berg (Sportfreunde Hamborn 07): “I think the league has become stronger. With Straelen, another absolute cracker is coming into the league. KFC Uerdingen, Schonnebeck, TVD, Baumberg, ETB, those are the teams that will fight it out among themselves at the top. Then I see eleven teams in seventh place and above who are more or less on a par. If we can confirm our place, it would be a huge success. But basically, if we can say in February that we’re planning for the Oberliga next season, then we’re already very far along.”
Andreas Schwan (SC Union Nettetal): “We are entering our sixth Oberliga season and last year we achieved the best ranking in the club’s history (11th place, editor’s note). We want to confirm that and establish ourselves in a league that has become even stronger. If you look at our budget and our possibilities, the only thing that counts for us is to stay in the league. As far as investments this summer are concerned, I’ll definitely take note of what happens in Schonnebeck. Then you have to mention KFC Uerdingen and certainly SV Straelen. Whoever goes down from the Regionalliga will want to play a good role despite personnel upheaval.”
Stefan Janßen (VfB Homberg): “Of course you have to mention KFC with Marcus John. In my opinion, Uerdingen has no business in the league and is at least a regional league team. You should also have Hilden, TVD Velbert and Ratingen on your radar and then there is always a surprise team. We will change things from the beginning to play more successful football. Then we want to have a quiet season where we have nothing to do with the lower places.”
Heinrich Losing (SV Sonsbeck): “The big favourite for me is KFC Uerdingen, followed by Straelen, Germania Ratingen and VfB Hilden. I think it will be one of the four. The deciding factor will be who plays the most consistently. Just like last year, our goal is to stay in the league. If we manage that, then we will have played a very good season again.”
Alexander Thamm (SC St. Tönis): “Of course, the question is whether KFC Uerdingen, as the big favourites, will make it out of the league after a last season in which they did not perform well. Behind them are the usual suspects with Ratingen, Hilden, ETB and Velbert. What about Straelen, we’ll have to wait and see. Our goal is to leave three teams behind us and move forward. We’ve kept the majority together, an age average of under 23 and a lot of talented players who have nevertheless played a year or two in the Oberliga Stamm.”
Umut Akpinar (1. FC Kleve): “We have rejuvenated the team a lot and have to introduce some of them to the Oberliga. That’s why our first priority is to stay in the league. I think there will be a lot of fighting like last year. We want to distance ourselves from that as quickly as possible. It will definitely be an exciting season. The quality of the league has increased again. You can see that in the transfers. I strongly expect Uerdingen and Straelen to be among the top teams. TVD Velbert and Hilden have to be on your radar, just like ETB SW Essen.”
Oliver Seibert (FC Büderich): “I expect KFC Uerdingen to be at the top because they are the team with the biggest budget and are a bit doomed to win. Straelen might be able to keep up a bit in terms of budget. I would also count Schwarz-Weiß Essen among the top three. We have the expectations of a promoted team. It’s a big jump to the Oberliga and the clubs that were relegated last season are warning examples. We want to establish ourselves and for that we first have to keep the class.”
Ahmet Inal (Mülheimer FC 97): “I think Uerdingen, Straelen, Ratingen, TVD Velbert and ETB will play a good role, but there might also be one or two surprises. For us, it’s important to represent the club in the Oberliga as well as possible for the time being. I can talk as much as I want, but people have to see that we are a well-managed club with reasonable structures. That’s why we want to establish ourselves, get to know the league and get away from the lower ranks.”
Marcel Cornelissen (Adler Union Frintrop): “The first seven or eight teams at the top will not change much compared to last season. Straelen will replace Velbert and I think the rest will end up where they did last year. If we are still connected next year in May and have the chance to save ourselves, then that would be an outstanding season for Adler Union Frintrop. The second goal is, of course, to somehow stay in the league. “