Master is denied advancement
Sandro Wagner complains about relegation “madness”
6/7/2023 7:21 am
Five regional league champions, but only four climbers – that causes great frustration. This year it hits the Bavarian and Northeast leagues. Therefore, Energie Cottbus and Sandro Wagner’s SpVgg Unterhaching have to compete against each other in the relegation. That doesn’t sit well with the two coaches.
They are opponents on the pitch, but both are united in frustration: When Sandro Wagner is a guest in the relegation first leg to the 3rd division with SpVgg Unterhaching this Wednesday at Energie Cottbus with coach colleague Claus-Dieter Wollitz, it is not just about sport in focus. Because the annoyance about the promotion regulations of the regional leagues is great again in this year’s season showdown.
“Of course it’s a bit crazy that a champion doesn’t get promoted,” Wagner complained in an interview with BR24Sport that this was “nonsense”. “Pele” Wollitz also called the regulation “absurd” and “bottomless” and railed against the German Football Association (DFB). Because of the two traditional clubs that even duel in the Bundesliga in the 2000/01 season, only one is allowed to return to professional football.
The reason? The five regional leagues are fighting for only four promotion places. According to a rotating system, a relegation between the divisions North, Northeast and Bavaria is held every year – this time between Unterhaching (Bavaria) and Cottbus (Northeast). VfB Lübeck (North) is “lucky” to be able to go straight up this year. The same applies to Prussia Münster (West) and SSV Ulm (Southwest), whose leagues have fixed promotion places due to “conurbations”.
“Nothing to do with fair football”
“These are conditions that have nothing to do with fair football,” said Cottbus coach Wollitz angrily. But not only the playoff mode, but also the behavior of the opponent caused frustration in Lausitz. Because the Munich suburbs around President Manfred Schwabl had left open for a long time whether they would even take advantage of their chance for advancement for financial reasons.
He could “completely understand” that Cottbus was “upset” by this, said Haching coach Wagner: “But we also had our own problems with it.” Schwabl, meanwhile, defended the approach at BR24Sport, but emphasized that he had clarified everything in a phone call with the Cottbus President: “It’s not eaten as hot as it was cooked.”
Despite Schwabl’s soothing words, it seems certain that the atmosphere will boil over on Wednesday (8:30 p.m./rbb) in the sold-out Friendship Stadium. Then SpVgg will be in Cottbus for the first leg, followed by the second leg in Unterhaching on Sunday (1 p.m./BR and MagentaSport).
It was “a highlight week with two wonderful games,” said Wagner, who had not extended his expiring contract with Haching and would like to celebrate promotion as a farewell. But Pele Wollitz and Energie are also burning: “Now it’s about taking the last step”.