After the debacle against Leverkusen
Urs Fischer switches to emergency mode at Union
November 13, 2023, 7:39 a.m
Union Berlin has already been at the bottom of the Bundesliga once. More than four years ago, right after the premiere game. This time the situation is much more precarious. Coach Urs Fischer speaks plainly and speaks to his players’ conscience. This week he is completely isolating his team.
Urs Fischer is closing. And in the great crisis only wants one thing: work, work, work. After falling to last place in the Bundesliga, all training sessions at 1. FC Union Berlin this week were declared “non-public”. Fischer needs one thing above all else: peace and focus on the essentials. The 4-0 loss at Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday evening once again dramatically demonstrated to the Iron Men what they are currently lacking: basically everything that promises success.
“We have suffered so many defeats. We have to improve in many areas, otherwise it will be difficult to stay in the league,” said captain Christopher Trimmel plainly. Coach Fischer was no less clear. “When you’re playing in a relegation battle, you need a different body language, a different mentality,” he said in the BayArena.
But is he still allowed to convey this mentality? In any case, the industry is amazed that the mechanisms in Köpenick do not (yet) apply. After nine defeats in a row, no other Bundesliga coach would probably still be in office. Fischer also knows that the “job guarantee” from manager Oliver Ruhnert or president Dirk Zingler is not unlimited. “The situation is constantly being reassessed,” said the 57-year-old.
A plus for Fischer is the Union DNA. Being uncritical of the club and team is part of the cult that the people of Köpenick not only cultivate, but celebrate. The imposed large family feeling should not be endangered in Berlin’s Wuhlheide. It carried Union on the incredible wave of success with Fischer as the grumpy master of ceremonies from the second division into the Champions League within four years.
And now return again? Fischer is trying to give the impression that he can stop the trend. “We have to address this game in Leverkusen thoroughly – we have enough to do in the two weeks,” he said about his tasks during the international break. Getting back to work with football is seen as the watchword. And the opponents give hope. With the exception of FC Bayern, all remaining opponents in 2023 appear to be beaten on good Union days: FC Augsburg, Borussia Mönchengladbach, VfL Bochum, 1. FC Köln are their names until Christmas.