New coach Peter Zeidler is in the process of getting a picture of the team. This includes the question of captaincy

VfL Bochum will play its first test match ahead of the 2024/2025 season on Saturday (2pm) against Rot Weiss Ahlen. However, coach Peter Zeidler has already been able to gain his first impressions of the club and the players. Forecasting spoke to him about it

Peter Zeidler, what are your first impressions?

The first impression is that the players are very attentive and focused. You can feel that the team wants to get better and is very disciplined when it comes to listening and organizational things. The other thing is how they conduct themselves in training and I can already see something there. I like it when the team just plays and the ball runs. When you can also enjoy it. But to say that we’re already really competitive or where we’re lacking would be going too far. I’ll have more information after the test matches

Ibrahima Sissoko and Dani de Wit are the best-known new signings. How much influence did you have on these transfers, which took a long time to prepare?

Of course I was asked how I felt about it and of course I was involved during the vacation period. The scouting department did a lot of meticulous groundwork and observed the players a lot. I came in at the end and spoke to both of them and they didn’t turn me down (laughs).

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Will Anthony Losilla remain captain?

I can’t say anything about that yet, I still have some time to think about it. It’s certainly an important matter. Maybe we can do it tomorrow so that it stays that way for now. And we still have a few weeks to decide how it will be during the season. But it’s important who will be captain and what the team council will look like. But that all still has to develop and as a coach I want to observe and assess that first.

Will you let the players decide or choose?

How many teams have a grassroots democratic election? Maybe in the Green stronghold of Freiburg (laughs). But otherwise it’s always decided by the coach. I’ll have to think about how we do it. But I don’t want to dismiss it, it’s an important matter, but I’m not ready to say anything definitive yet.

You’ve had some time to see Bochum in the first few days. How satisfied are you with your new adopted home so far?

I’m happy, I’m used to going to a bakery or a coffee shop in the morning and having a coffee in peace and quiet. I noticed that there are a lot of VfL fans who already know who the new coach is. You strike up a conversation straight away. I was really pleased about that and it’s something I’m happy to take part in, which is one of our strengths. I’m definitely planning to borrow a bike and explore the area so that I know where I can stay (laughs).