Under Fire Again: Kok's Red Card Woes in Prussia's 0-0 Draw
Definitely not known for his toughness, Thomas Kok (25), a central defender for Münster, has been thrust into the spotlight for all the wrong reasons after two red cards in quick succession.
Just four games after receiving his first red card of the season (two-match ban) for an emergency stop in a 2-1 loss to Regensburg, Kok found himself in hot water once again. This time, in a 0-0 draw against Saarbrücken, the referee Patrick Schwengers (28) had no option but to issue a second yellow card.
What led to this escalation? In the 58th minute of the match, taking place in the chilling cold of Ludwigspark, the Dutch defender was engaged in a running duel with Simon Stehle (22), tricky young forward from Saarbrücken. Kok, aiming to protect his position, was nudged by Stehle and tripped as he fell, pulling his opponent down with him.
Swedish referee Schwengers had previously issued Kok a yellow card just before halftime (45.+3) for a tactical foul. With no other alternative, Schwengers exhibited his second traffic light of the day.
This sees Kok join the current league's offenders rundown, now settling into the second place. The position is currently dominated by Ingolstadt’s Julian Kügel (26), with two dismissals to his name.
Unlike following his first dismissal, Kok did not receive any criticism from his teammates after this. Instead, they were there to offer him support and encouragement. Kok acknowledged the discussions on the team bus and stated, "Of course, I had conversations with my teammates about the referee's decision. I have to accept it and learn from it."
Receiving the Spotlight in all the Wrong Ways
Despite the failure to mask his disappointment, Kok announced his intention to push on, focusing on the upcoming games against Verl at home and Dortmund’s U23s. "Of course, I am frustrated to miss the next game against Verl at home, but after two days of rest, I will be back in training on Tuesday to prepare for the final two games of the season in Unterhaching and Dortmund's U23s."
Training to Conquer Frustration
Kok is not one to dwell on the past and has confirmed his forward-thinking approach. "I never look back, only ahead. I cannot undo what has happened, but I can learn from the two send-offs."
Meanwhile, coach Sascha Hildmann (51) has been making strides towards recovery following a stomach and intestinal infection that forced him to miss an unprecedented 164th outing as the black, white, and green bench boss. Hildmann left the Saarbrücken game to his assistant, Louis Cordes (30), who demonstrated capable leadership. In response to improvement, Hildmann is planned to return to Münster in time for the beginning of the 2023 training week.
Rather than halting momentum, these developments in possession of the team tested the grit and determination of Prussia’s junior players. Their performance against promotion contenders Dynamo Dresden in Verl revealed that their smaller stature did not compromise their ability to compete with the big boys in the third league.
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