It's the summer holidays in Lower Saxony, and FC Schalke are feeling the effects. In the 1st round of the DFB Cup, Royal Blue will play against Bremer SV, but the duel will be played in Oldenburg. There's currently no hot water in the stadium. Coach Frank Kramer thinks that's "not bad".
Bundesliga returnees Schalke 04 are threatened with a cold shower regardless of the outcome of the cup game against Bremer SV: In terms of sport, the Bundesliga promoted team has nothing to do with the cup appearance on Sunday (1 p.m. / Sky and in the live ticker on ntv.de) in Oldenburg against the fourth division team fear. The real challenge lurks after the final whistle. Because the Lower Saxony city turned off the central hot water system in the municipal Marschweg Stadium during the school holidays to save energy.
But instead of whining, the guests take an offensive approach to the unfamiliar situation, and it is well known that hardening can never hurt. "I don't care, it's not bad for the young generation," said 04 goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow. Coach Frank Kramer takes it with humor: "We fill the bus with kettles and mix the hot water with that from the ice bucket."
Interestingly, Schalke's sports director Peter Knäbel spoke about the energy crisis and its possible effects on professional football at the international coaching congress in Dortmund during the week. The Bundesliga is "in demand here as a whole," said the 55-year-old. It is important to have the topic "on screen", but there should be "no race" between "people who are listened to who has the better and faster idea", said Knäbel. Every club must be able to contribute with its ideas.
"Ultimately, as a society, we can only overcome the challenges together and sport is of course an important part of that." And the topic of the cold showers in Oldenburg will of course be accepted by the S04 kickers as the circumstances are, so Knäbel: "The same general conditions apply to everyone."
The cold showers are a new experience not only for the Royal Blue football professionals, but also for the players of the fourth division team from the Hanseatic city 40 kilometers away. "It's funny, that's never happened before. When I heard about it, I had to smile. But no one will die after a shower, said BSV coach Torsten Gütschow. In fact, deaths were reported after the first "cold start" in the 15,200 Spectator-capacity arena not known last weekend The third division pros VfB Oldenburg and SV Meppen undauntedly faced the cool challenge after their neighborhood duel (1:1).
And that's also why the sporting situation remains clearly in focus for the regional league promoted team. A year ago, the Bremen club was in the spotlight nationwide when they played Bayern Munich in the Weser Stadium. At the time, the hosts had absolutely no chance and lost against the German record champions with 0:12. "Something like that shouldn't happen this year," demands Gütschow, the 60-year-old wasn't responsible at the time. It should remain at least in one digit - before taking a cold shower.
