Preparations for the new season begin in Fürth. In the first training session under the new coach, the focus is on getting to know each other. The sports director appeals to the team.
Fürth (dpa / lby) - New season, new players, new coach: SpVgg Greuther Fürth has started the pre-season with many fresh faces and numerous fans around the training ground. The relegated from the Bundesliga completed the first training session on Sunday with his new coach Marc Schneider and the two new assistant coaches Rainer Widmayer and Stefan Kleineheismann.
For Schneider, it was all about getting to know the team "so that we can get the best out of everyone," as Stefan Leitl's Swiss successor announced. His first impression of the players was good. Schneider himself was in demand on Sunday and gave one autograph after the other.
Right-back Marco Meyerhöfer (fractured ankle) and center forward Robin Kehr (torn cruciate ligament) were injured. Midfielder Nils Seufert completed individual training after his ankle injury. Attacker Branimir Hrgota and goalkeeper Andreas Linde, who are currently active for Sweden in the Nations League, were also absent. Instead, newcomer Oualid Mhamdi from Viktoria Köln presented himself to the fans for the first time.
Schneider takes over the Franks in upheaval. Regulars such as Jamie Leweling (1. FC Union Berlin), Maximilian Bauer (FC Augsburg), Paul Seguin (1. FC Union Berlin) and Nick Viergever (FC Utrecht) are leaving the club. With a renewed squad, the Fürthers want to play at the top in 2022/23. Since the club is financially limited, the focus is on the development of its own (young) players.
The attack on the top of the table will not be a sure-fire success for the cloverleaf. "We're the first to start. That means we're aware that the second division won't be easy," emphasized sports director Rachid Azzouzi. It was "a hard piece of work" to get back into the second division. The team must take their opponents seriously and prove themselves again. "That's the approach we have to take and if we do that, I'm not worried about the season either," said Azzouzi.
The first matchday of the 2nd division takes place between July 15th and 17th.
