The Ruhrpott giant wants to go back
Rot-Weiss Essen is fighting for its dream
By Sebastian Schneider, Essen
4/30/2022, 8:37 p.m
Rot-Weiss Essen has been stuck in the regional league for more than ten years. In the current season, the chances are good for a long time that the former German champions will make it into the third division this time. But in the end it could go wrong again shortly before the end.
It could be easy. If things go as they did with the elementary school students at half-time, then Rot-Weiss Essen shouldn’t have much to worry about. While RWE and FC Wegberg-Beeck prepared for the second 45 minutes on Friday evening, the children played out the 10th Essen city championship on the pitch. Because there was no winner after the eight-minute game, the schools shared the prize money and proudly carried the large silver trophy together through the stadium on Hafenstraße.
Now it is much more complicated with the championship in the Regionalliga West. In the end, only one team can advance to the third division and there is also no tie between RWE and leaders Prussia. Rot-Weiss Essen has been stuck in the fourth division for more than ten years, the German champions from 1955 are now caught between the second divisions of professional clubs. The traditional club, whose myth is too big for this league, does not have the best starting position at the moment. Leader Preussen Münster is currently completing its remaining program with ease. This was also the case last night when they won 3-0 against KFC Uerdingen in the parallel game. This puts Munster two games before the end of the season with two points and one goal ahead of RWE.
The rise is no longer in Essen’s hands alone. The red-whites have to continue to solve their own compulsory tasks and hope that their direct competitor will make a mistake with the probably easier final program. RWE did that more or less convincingly in yesterday evening’s 3-1 win over Wegberg-Beeck, a candidate for relegation. Two standard situations within a few minutes (28th and 32nd) were enough to steer the game in the right direction. Even though Wegberg-Beeck’s goal made it 2-1 shortly after half-time, the game didn’t threaten to tip over.
Beware of grumpy fans
The Essen annex also played a large part in this. He thwarted the outsider’s plan. Wegberg-Beeck had set out to cause as much unrest as possible in the stands. “It’s difficult for the Essen players when the fans get a bit grumpy,” explained visiting coach Mark Zeh after the game, who was born in Essen himself. But the concept didn’t work out, although there were occasional complaints, the red and white support remained unbroken. “I’m very happy that the fans kept pushing us forward over the 90 minutes,” said RWE coach Christian Neidhart, relieved, at the press conference that followed.
The support cannot be assumed, after all, turbulent months lie behind Rot-Weiss Essen. Above all with the fatal firecracker throw in the regional league top game against Preußen Münster in February, which could ultimately cost promotion. At that point, Essen was still a few points ahead of its direct competitor. However, when a fan from Essen’s west stand went crazy and threw a firecracker at the Münster substitutes in February, the game had to be stopped after a long interruption. Just last week, Preußen Münster were finally awarded the three points at the Green Table. The rioters had already been identified. According to the police, it was a 29-year-old RWE fan without a season ticket who could be identified by his face tattoo.
In addition to the drama surrounding the firecracker throw, there is unrest in the team. In the summer there was the painful departure of captain Marco Kehl-Gomez, who moved to Türkgücü Munich in the third division. His successor, Dennis Grote, was suspended before the winter break because the midfielder was toying with a move to direct rivals Munster. Then goalkeeper Daniel Davari should lead Neidhart’s team onto the field. But he first lost his regular place to Jakob Golz and then also the captaincy. He was eventually suspended because of “unsportsmanlike conduct”according to the association.
What becomes of the dream?
Since then, central defender Daniel Heber has worn the captain’s armband. The 27-year-old is one of those whose qualities could also be enough for professional football. Because the squad shouldn’t actually fail to rise. With Simon Engelmann, RWE has by far the best goalscorer in its league. He scored against Wegberg-Beeck to make it 3-1 after running inconspicuously across the pitch for almost 85 minutes. In the summer, RWE also signed Niklas Tarnat, who had gone through the entire youth academy at FC Bayern. And brings more than just his big name to the pitch. Thomas Eisfeld also joined in the winter. The playmaker recently managed promotion with VfL Bochum and was trained at FC Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund.
Nevertheless, the latest results did not necessarily trigger euphoria. The draw against relegation candidates Alemannia Aachen and the late draw against the second team Borussia Mönchengladbach also ensured this. But all is not lost with that. There is still a chance that Rot-Weiss Essen’s great longing will be fulfilled – the home crowd knows that too. After the game, they celebrated their team for a few minutes and sang insults against Prussia Münster.
The fans are aware of the great opportunity the Ruhrpott giant faces. Last year, the dream only burst on the last day of the game, RWE only got three points less than the second team from Borussia Dortmund. This year it should finally work. RWE trainer Neidhart explained at the press conference after Wegberg-Beeck that it now depends on “who has better nerves under control”. They are only two points behind in the last two games. “We’ll shoot everything we have and then see what comes of it.” In the best-case scenario, this is ascension.