1. FC Köln sporting director Thomas Kessler has responded to growing fan frustration after the loss at Hamburger SV with a call for patience. The Billy Goats must now use the international break to regroup. The team has only played a few minutes in the lead so far, underlining the difficulty in controlling results.
Kessler, who oversaw a major squad overhaul before the season, rejected panic reactions and hasty changes to the coaching staff. "I can only appeal," he said. No one had said it would be a super easy season and they would just glide through. He stressed that the club is planning with one of the league's youngest squads and that it needs time to develop.
He pointed to the need to give the young team time to develop. The whistles after the match in Hamburg and criticism on social media were understandable, but the club is working on the problems. Their recent form shows an inconsistent picture.
The sporting director contrasted the atmosphere at the Volksparkstadion, where HSV fans backed their team despite a poor start. Such unified support is currently hard to imagine in Cologne.
The focus now shifts to the next Bundesliga matchday. It presents an opportunity to secure much-needed points in front of their own fans. A win would be key.
This story first appeared at 90min.de
