Bornemann content with the squad
Friday, 02. September 2022, 11:00 Uhr
Andreas Bornemann believes the Boys in Brown are well placed for the remainder of the first season half, pointing out that the team had scored more goals compared with the same time last season. The director of sport said the club would continue to place its trust in young players but was also keeping its options open for the winter break.
In an interview with FCSP TV, Bornemann drew a positive conclusion at the end of the transfer period, explaining that many transfers had been set in motion very early. "A key factor was that we were able to build from a good foundation," he said. “Two first-team regulars left the club, but we were able to retain all the others. For me, the interest shown in our players by Bundesliga clubs and the associated ambitions of our players is an indication of our successful squad development.”
On the discussions about a new striker, Bornemann pointed out that in Johannes Eggestein and David Otto the club had already signed two and went on to describe Etienne Amenyido as a "new recruit with a 12-month lead time". The director of sport also has high hopes for Igor Matanović - "one of the greatest talents of his age group in German football".
Bornemann continued: "That said, our aim is to spread the goals among more players and become less dependent on the strikers as well as increasing the number of goals from set pieces. We’ve scored two more goals than we had at the same point last season. The strikers came in for criticism after the Hansa Rostock game, but they were never played into promising positions. In April we put in a similar performance there with Burgstaller, Makienok and Kyereh in the lineup."
Commenting on the development of the squad in recent years, Bornemann said the number of players had been reduced from 35-36 "to a more manageable” 27-28. “You need the right mix in the squad when you do that. We have a base of experienced players who are consistent over 30 to 34 games, and we have players of an age where they’ve already reached a certain level of performance but still have potential – plus the really young players who we can develop."
Turning to the unusually early start to the season, Bornemann said: “The first half of the season will be over in just two-and-a-half months and then we’ll have what is probably the longest transfer period in Bundesliga history. We’ve taken that into account in our actions. If we get the feeling in mid-November that the plan isn’t quite working or if a player gets injured, we’ve left ourselves the option of doing some additional business. But you have to let the players play to see if the ideas are working. We 're placing our trust in the lads who are here and we're sure they'll repay our confidence."
Photos: Witters
