Big stages for small clubs. The DFB Cup throws Germany’s amateur clubs into the spotlight. Village teams can face German champions; ambitious Regionalliga sides can go head-to-head with Champions League participants. There have been plenty of cup upsets and shocks in the over 70-year history of the competitions. The cup has its own rules and its own history. Over the next two weeks, DFB.de will preview all 18 amateur clubs who are featuring in the first round of the 73rd DFB Cup. Today it’s Viktoria Köln from the Regionalliga West.
Mike Wunderlich: goal machine and unifying figure
Last year it was Hertha BSC, and now it’s Union – Berlin last year, and now Berlin again. FC Viktoria Köln, of the Regionalliga West, are looking forward to their meeting with the second-division side from the capital in the first round of the DFB Cup on Saturday, 8th August. After losing 4-2 to Hertha last year, the club are now hoping for a surprise. It definitely wouldn’t cause a storm if they reached the second round – the side from Cologne is far too ambitious; they have too strong a squad.
Above all, Mike Wunderlich has to be mentioned in this context. The 29-year-old is not only the absolute unifying figure at Viktoria, he is also sportingly superior and extremely important. That can be seen simply by looking back over the important statistics: in the 2011/12 Oberliga season, the midfielder scored 32 times in 34 appearances. In the following three seasons in the Regionalliga he was always towards the top of the scoring charts, with 15 goals in 2012/13, 15 again in 2013/14 and 18 in 2014/15.
Kaczmarek: "Constant talk of the third division must stop"
The team constantly misses out on promotion, and that is the big stigma of the club from the right bank of the Rhine in Cologne. And that is exactly what new coach Tomasz Kaczmarek wants to change. The 30-year-old only succeeded Claus-Dieter Wollitz in the winter but he’s been very successful since then with only one defeat in 18 competitive matches. That’s the form that won them the Middle Rhine Cup.
“The constant talk of promotion to the third division must stop,” says Kaczmarek. “It’s crucial that we take on the challenges of the Regionalliga, and only then can we achieve our goals. There is a lot of competition. I’m thinking of teams like Rot-Weiss Essen, Rot-Weiß Oberhausen, Alemannia Aachen, the reserves from Borussia Dortmund and Mönchengladbach, and possibly Sportfreunde Lotte. Maybe even SV Rödinghausen, and after all that there would then be two very difficult playoff matches.
Fortuna have already done it
Consistency has previously been lacking at FC Viktoria. Strong runs are too often followed by runs without a win. Since Kaczmarek took over, a fresh win has been blowing through the Sportpark Höhenberg. The new coach has consequently changed and rejuvenated the squad. Experienced players such as Timo Röttger (previously RB Leipzig), Timo Staffeldt (previously Karlsruher SC) and Gaetano Manno (previously Preußen Münster) had to leave.
They were replaced by young and hopeful talents. It seems that the times of bringing in big names is over – it didn’t have the desires effect. Local rival Fortuna Köln have shown how to do it better and they have made the jump to the third division. Viktoria haven’t yet…
“We’re definitely not running a contest to bring in youngsters,” says Kaczmarek. “But we had the feeling that we were missing one or two very talented players. But experienced heads like Claus Costa, Markus Brzenska, Michael Lejan or Daniel Reichte are crucial components to help us achieve our goals.”
Viktoria against Union: "We are the underdogs, but not without hope"
Big stages for small clubs. The DFB Cup throws Germany’s amateur clubs into the spotlight. Village teams can face German champions; ambitious Regionalliga sides can go head-to-head with Champions League participants. There have been plenty of cup upsets and shocks in the over 70-year history of the competitions. The cup has its own rules and its own history. Over the next two weeks, DFB.de will preview all 18 amateur clubs who are featuring in the first round of the 73rd DFB Cup. Today it’s Viktoria Köln from the Regionalliga West.
Mike Wunderlich: goal machine and unifying figure
Last year it was Hertha BSC, and now it’s Union – Berlin last year, and now Berlin again. FC Viktoria Köln, of the Regionalliga West, are looking forward to their meeting with the second-division side from the capital in the first round of the DFB Cup on Saturday, 8th August. After losing 4-2 to Hertha last year, the club are now hoping for a surprise. It definitely wouldn’t cause a storm if they reached the second round – the side from Cologne is far too ambitious; they have too strong a squad.
Above all, Mike Wunderlich has to be mentioned in this context. The 29-year-old is not only the absolute unifying figure at Viktoria, he is also sportingly superior and extremely important. That can be seen simply by looking back over the important statistics: in the 2011/12 Oberliga season, the midfielder scored 32 times in 34 appearances. In the following three seasons in the Regionalliga he was always towards the top of the scoring charts, with 15 goals in 2012/13, 15 again in 2013/14 and 18 in 2014/15.
Kaczmarek: "Constant talk of the third division must stop"
The team constantly misses out on promotion, and that is the big stigma of the club from the right bank of the Rhine in Cologne. And that is exactly what new coach Tomasz Kaczmarek wants to change. The 30-year-old only succeeded Claus-Dieter Wollitz in the winter but he’s been very successful since then with only one defeat in 18 competitive matches. That’s the form that won them the Middle Rhine Cup.
“The constant talk of promotion to the third division must stop,” says Kaczmarek. “It’s crucial that we take on the challenges of the Regionalliga, and only then can we achieve our goals. There is a lot of competition. I’m thinking of teams like Rot-Weiss Essen, Rot-Weiß Oberhausen, Alemannia Aachen, the reserves from Borussia Dortmund and Mönchengladbach, and possibly Sportfreunde Lotte. Maybe even SV Rödinghausen, and after all that there would then be two very difficult playoff matches.
Fortuna have already done it
Consistency has previously been lacking at FC Viktoria. Strong runs are too often followed by runs without a win. Since Kaczmarek took over, a fresh win has been blowing through the Sportpark Höhenberg. The new coach has consequently changed and rejuvenated the squad. Experienced players such as Timo Röttger (previously RB Leipzig), Timo Staffeldt (previously Karlsruher SC) and Gaetano Manno (previously Preußen Münster) had to leave.
They were replaced by young and hopeful talents. It seems that the times of bringing in big names is over – it didn’t have the desires effect. Local rival Fortuna Köln have shown how to do it better and they have made the jump to the third division. Viktoria haven’t yet…
“We’re definitely not running a contest to bring in youngsters,” says Kaczmarek. “But we had the feeling that we were missing one or two very talented players. But experienced heads like Claus Costa, Markus Brzenska, Michael Lejan or Daniel Reichte are crucial components to help us achieve our goals.”
Viktoria against Union: "We are the underdogs, but not without hope"
Mike Wunderlich of course stayed. He is the constant and the uncontested leader with a quite special resume. When he was putting in convincing performances for FSV Frankfurt in the 2. Bundesliga, the playmaker seemed on his way to the Bundesliga. But burnout stopped him in his tracks. He wanted to return home, where he has since blossomed again.
The game against Union Berlin is also another chance for Wunderlich to show off on the big stage again. The season is still young, but the big and important aim is to progress against Union Berlin. After a convincing pre-season, the team from Cologne are going into the game with self-confidence. Amongst others, there was a well noted 1-1 draw against Bayer Leverkusen, as well as a win against new third-division side 1. FC Magdeburg and a 1-0 win against VfL Osnabrück.
“We are underdogs, but we aren’t without hope,” says coach Kaczmarek confidently. “Naturally we’re well aware that Union Berlin are a very ambitious second-division side who have strengthened after a very strong second half of the season. Everything has to go right if we want to give them a good game.” In the run up to the game, there is a lot to suggest that that could happen.
