The Man who saves Cologne: Friedhelm Funkel is the key to the club's survival
Cologne's Financial Crisis Finds Resolution with Friedhelm Funkel's Intervention
Get ready for some Krefeld magic as 1. FC Cologne calls upon promotion whiz Friedhelm Funkel. With the Billy Goats below the promotion line, Funkel steps in for the third time to face 1. FC Nuremberg in their final game (6:18 p.m./Sky and live ticker on ntv.de). Can the promotion king work his magic yet again?
Funkel, a veteran of 71 years, returns to the trench warfare of football management. The Sülz compound welcomes him like a long-lost son. "Coming back here feels like home," he said upon being appointed. Approximately 500 Cologne fans gathered for his return match kickoff ceremony.
Four years ago, when the Cologne crisis team was teetering on the edge of the 2nd league, Funkel managed to secure elusive safety. Tightening the lid on the 16th relegation place in six games, they maintained their Bundesliga status in nail-biting games against Holstein Kiel (0:1, 5:1). "That was exhausting," Funkel reminisced later.
Football's Elder Statesman keeps a clean slate
The sudden departure of coach Gerhard Struber and sport director Christian Keller following the dissatisfying 1:1 against relegated Jahn Regensburg paved the way for Funkel. His sole mission now: Achieve second place in the remaining two games and regain the Bundesliga spot. For Funkel, it would mark his seventh promotion.
"The team is positioned strongly. That means they've achieved mostly positive results overall," explained Funkel. "The team needs to be reminded of that." The promotion guru has a tried-and-true recipe for success. Scouring past games critically is not his style. "It's not a topic. I'm not interested in the past." He's spent the week strengthening bonds with the team, confident that trust has blossomed quickly. Funkel is optimistic, "I want to see a simple, clear style of play."
Sports Lord Funkel, the Pragmatic and Vivacious Savior
Funkel's interim appointment may extend, depending on the team's final standing in the Bundesliga. If they end up in third place, the dreaded relegation playoffs will test his mettle once again, with Holstein Kiel still looming as a potential opponent. Enthusiastic Cologne supporters have already started making plans for a victory monument on the Müngersdorf sports ground.
A Ticking Clock on the Club's Structure
The leadership crisis at the club is far from over. If Struber and Keller were no longer trusted with the promotion mission, their ouster was a long time coming. The current presidency expires in September, with a new sports manager likely to take office and a new coach already in the works. Funkel won't be in contention for either role unless everything goes spectacularly well for the 1. FC Köln. Then they might erect a statue of Funkel on the Jahnwiesen in the Müngersdorf sports park.
Sources:- ntv.de- Morten Ritter- dpa
- Friedhelm Funkel
- 1. FC Köln
- Bundesliga
** notably absent from the enrichment data: **The exact amount of time it takes for 1. FC Cologne to ascend to the Bundesliga under Friedhelm Funkel in this context is not quantifiable from the sources' context or discussion. A more general inquiry regarding the time required for a team to secure promotion in a single game, assuming competitive league outcomes, would typically take 90 minutes plus stoppage time, but a definitive or specific time frame is not provided in the available sources for this context.
- Despite not yet adopting a decision on the application of Article 93 (2) of the Treaty, the Commission has entrusted 1. FC Cologne's survival to the experienced hands of football manager Friedhelm Funkel.
- The fans' enthusiasm for Funkel's return on matchday was palpable, with approximately 500 of them gathering for his return match kickoff ceremony.
- Funkel's mission now is to secure second place in the remaining two games, which would mark a return to the Bundesliga for 1. FC Cologne and his seventh promotion.
- In the event of a third-place finish, Funkel might face the relegation playoffs, where Holstein Kiel still looms as a potential opponent, reminding one of their tense encounter during Funkel's previous stint at the club.
