The summer break is over for 1. FC Nürnberg, but the transfer window is still long. In the background, people are busy working on the squad. Some newcomers are already there - and are aggressive.
Nuremberg (dpa/lby) - Hundreds of "Club" fans lined up when 1. FC Nuremberg, led by coach Robert Klauß, entered the training ground at the Valznerweiher and started the pre-season. While the first autograph hunters quickly got in wait on Monday and the newcomers to the Franconian second division soccer team posed for the obligatory photos, the rest of the team completed their first running and ball sessions in midsummer conditions.
After a 29-day summer break, the focus of the Franconians is again on the new season. Also present are the six fresh "clubers" Sadik Fofana, Louis Breunig, Jan Gyamerah as well as Erik Wekesser, Shawn Blum and Manuel Wintzheimer. "It's a huge club with a huge tradition. No matter what opponent comes, we take three points with us," announced Fofana aggressively, to the delight of the fans. The 19-year-old comes on loan from Bundesliga club Bayer 04 Leverkusen for two years.
With the new squad, the "Club" wants to play for the top places in the table again next season. The usual reticent Klauß has not yet given a concrete goal. "It's hard to say. We don't yet know what the opponents' squads look like or what ours will look like in the end. The transfer window is still long," said the 37-year-old.
The transition period ends on August 31st. So there is still enough time for sports director Dieter Hecking to continue working on the squad. "We are in the process of asking what is possible and what is not," said the 57-year-old. "We don't see ourselves finished with the squad yet." Recently, there was speculation that St. Pauli striker Guido Burgstaller would return to Nuremberg.
The anticipation of the Franconia derby against SpVgg Greuther Fürth is particularly great in Nuremberg. "I'm hoping for a sold-out house. I've heard that if you win the derby, you can do anything for a week," Klauß joked.
The FCN kickers continue to train all week before the first test against regional league team Viktoria Aschaffenburg is scheduled for Saturday. About a week later we go to the training camp in South Tyrol.
