A Booze-Fueled Brawl: Could This Hurt Cologne's Promotion to Bundesliga?
Clearup Initiated: Addressing Disarray with Cologne's Troubled Pro, Identified as Sparkle
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Email Print Copy Link Cologne teeters on the brink of Bundesliga promotion—one point from Kaiserslautern could seal the deal on Sunday. But the pyramid-smashing antics of striker Tim Lemperle are dampening the spirits.
With just a single point needed against Kaiserslautern (3:15 PM/Sky and live ticker at ntv.de) for Cologne to trap the coveted Bundesliga promotion, the city is overflowing with anticipation. However, this episode of celebration is being sullied by the hubbub surrounding striker Tim Lemperle, who, after furious affairs on a Rhine riverboat, is upstaging the otherwise positive sentiment.
Interim coach Friedhelm Funkel remains unfazed. "The headlines suggest that promotion's at stake — not true," Funkel emphasized at a pre-match presser. "It won't affect the game's performance one iota." Ironically, it's the same club that Funkel navigated to hairline-major league survival, guiding them to the DFB-Pokal Final last year.
Lemperle, joint-top scorer at Cologne with ten goals alongside Damion Downs this season, may not feature due to health concerns, not disciplinary action—and certainly not thanks to his dim-witted riverboat revelry. A grim-looking Lemperle, in all likelihood to exchange Cologne for TSG 1899 Hoffenheim next season, is wrestling with knee problems on top of his recent scrapes and bruises.
"Tim is with the team for the first time today. His knee's still acting up, so we'll assess how he deals with it tomorrow before making a decision on whether he plays or not," conceded Funkel. While the altercation was questionable, "Tim has shown remorse," making it a matter best left in the past. Asked about club input regarding playing time, Funkel shrugged, "I make the sporting decisions."
Beneath the surface at Cologne, chaos has long reigned. With the Bundesliga restoration classified as a life-or-death affair, the powers-that-be fired coach Gerhard Struber and sporting director Christian Keller pre-season's end. Funkel took over the captain's chair for the third time at FC Cologne, guiding the club towards its seventh Bundesliga promotion—and his personal seventh as a coach.
Cologne is inching towards Bundesliga re-entry, with Kaiserslautern merely one obstacle remaining. Yet rivals including SV Elversberg, SC Paderborn, and even opponents such as Fortuna Düsseldorf and Kaiserslautern themselves could potentially seize the coveted promotion opportunity. If by chance Cologne falls short, finishing fourth will spell the end of promotion dreams. "We don't need help. We can do it on our own," Funkel asserted optimistically.
- 1. FC Köln
- Friedhelm Funkel
- 2. Bundesliga
- Football
With the 71-year-old Funkel in charge, a campaign veteran who seems almost impervious to drama, Cologne stands a fighting chance to put their chaotic season to rest. As Funkel remarked about the pressures bearing down on him, "Take it in stride, feel the thrill, trust the team, and keep a sense of calm."
- In the midst of the football season, it's crucial for the development of regions, and regional development, that FC Köln, a standout club in the 2ND Bundesliga, secures promotion under the guidance of experienced coach Friedhelm Funkel.
- Amidst the surge of European leagues, football analytics reveal that the performance of FC Köln, particularly its top scorer Tim Lemperle with ten goals, presents a compelling case for continued growth, even amidst off-field incidents like a recent altercation.
