Holstein Kiel head coach still confident of miraculous relegation escape | OneFootball

Relegation-threatened Holstein Kiel continue to believe that a miracle is possible. Head coach Marcel Rapp – two weeks removed from his unexpectedly confident prediction that die Störche could hope for Bundesliga football next season – maintained an assured tone at his Friday pre-match press conference.

Rapp had every reason to remain optimistic after his side’s wild win over Borussia Mönchengladbach last weekend. The team faces a tough test this coming weekend with a trip to in-form Augsburg. Interestingly enough, Rapp’s men woke up out of nowhere to demolish Augsburg 5-1 in December’s reverse fixture.

Rapp revealed that he employed an interesting tactic to keep the team relaxed yesterday. In lieu of training, Rapp took his charges on a canoe trip. The coach joked that the outing was meant to help the players visualize “landing on safe shores”.

Regarding Friday’s upcoming do-or-die clash between relegation rivals Bochum and Heidenheim, Rapp insisted that he would not be turning on the television. Instead of agonizing over the result, Rapp planned to enjoy a card game night with his family.

Outgoing transfer rumors linking his top two strikers – Shuto Machino (Gladbach) and Phil Harres (Crystal Palace, Wolverhampton) – also didn’t faze the coach. Rapp insisted that he wasn’t worried about much of anything, including his squad’s very tough remaining schedule.

“There’s no point in running around like headless chickens,” Rapp emphasized. “If one prepares well, then one is tense but not nervous. We are playing better, more mature football now than at the start of the season.“

GGFN | Peter Weis