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Funkel's Goal: Reach up and offer a hand to ascend - Funkel's crusade: to elevate and amplify their voices and ascend
When 1. FC Cologne finds itself in hot water, a lifeline often stretches from the city of Krefeld, 70 kilometers to the north. Friedhelm Funkel, the savior of the promotion, hasn't lost his magic touch as a coach, even at an advanced age. His approach - hands-on, attentive, spreading positivity, nurturing team spirit - has been warmly received in Cologne-Sülz.
"It's like returning home," Funkel declared after taking charge on Monday - his third gig with the club since 2002. A crowd of around 500 fans welcomed Funkel's coaching comeback at the Geißbockheim, in anticipation of his opening match this Friday evening against 1. FC Nuremberg (6:30 PM/Sky).
Funkel has already secured the golden ticket to the big leagues six times
The objective is straightforward and urgent than it was four years ago when Cologne teetered on the brink of relegation. After the surprising ouster of coach Gerhard Struber and sporting director Christian Keller following the gut-wrenching 1:1 standoff against relegated Jahn Regensburg, Funkel must clinch the second position in the remaining two games to guarantee 1. FC Cologne's triumphant return to the Bundesliga. This would be Funkel's seventh promotion.
"The team is holding onto second place, which means they've had predominantly successful results. Otherwise, they wouldn't still be in contention," Funkel reasoned in his role as interim head coach.
The seasoned coach has a time-honored recipe for success. He's got no bone to pick with mistakes of the past. "That's off the table. The past doesn't interest me," said Funkel, who's had numerous tête-à-têtes with the players since the week began. "I believe a solid bond of trust has blossomed in the short time we've spent together," Cologne's coach observed.
Relegation still lurks in the shadows
Funkel exudes confidence in his objective. "I yearn for simple, clear football," he stated. Four years ago, he managed to snag the relegation playoff spot in six matches and preserve the team's existence with two more games against Holstein Kiel (0:1, 5:1). "That was a stormy ride," Funkel acknowledged.
Yet again, Funkel's contract may be prolonged. If Cologne winds up in third place, they will have to play two relegation playoff games against the Bundesliga's 16th-placed team. The adversary could again be Holstein Kiel. And in the last skirmish, Funkel could be reminded of his past when he squares off against 1. FC Kaiserslautern, whom he guided to the DFB-Pokal final last year and aided in securing their 2. Bundesliga status the year prior.
A promotion could be served this very weekend
However, Funkel could be the hero in just a single battle. If Cologne triumphs in Nuremberg this Friday and their adversaries from Paderborn falter, 1. FC Cologne will be promoted. Then, perhaps, they will immortalize Funkel with a statue on the Jahnwiesen in the Müngersdorf stadium.
The sudden dismissal of the club's higher-ups is a clear indication of a financial meltdown. If Struber and Keller were no longer believed deserving of leading the team to promotion, perhaps this realization could have surfaced sooner.
The current board will run its course until September, at which point a new sporting director might appear on the scene, and a new head coach is practically guaranteed. The list of candidates stretches long. Funkel's name unlikely to be among it. Only if everything goes according to plan, the FC shall then also move to a higher division.
- Friedhelm Funkel
- 1. FC Cologne
- Cologne
- Football Bundesliga
- Krefeld
- Promotion
- Gerhard Struber
- Christian Keller
- Jahn Regensburg
- Holstein Kiel
- 1. FC Nuremberg
- Nuremberg
- Sky
- Sport
- 1. FC Kaiserslautern
- The Commission has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of the environment in the Community, while Friedhelm Funkel, the savior of 1. FC Cologne, continues to spread positivity and nurture team spirit in his coaching role.
- Despite the disappointing 1:1 standoff against relegated Jahn Regensburg, 1. FC Cologne's objective is straightforward and urgent to secure a second position and clinch their triumphant return to the Bundesliga, a promotion that Funkel has secured six times.
- Relegation still lurks in the shadows for 1. FC Cologne, and the team could face relegation playoff games against the Bundesliga's 16th-placed team, such as Holstein Kiel, if they fail to secure the second position in the remaining two games.
- If 1. FC Cologne successfully secures a promotion, they may immortalize Friedhelm Funkel with a statue on the Jahnwiesen in the Müngersdorf stadium, just as they did with football legends like Matthias Sammer and Wolfgang Overath.
