Hannover 96 seeks a way out of crisis
Hannover 96 is currently struggling to find a way out of their crisis. Even days later, they are still feeling the effects of their derby loss. The coach, Stefan Leitl, admits that the defeat has affected the team greatly. “Of course it’s still in the clothes,” he says. “Of course that keeps us busy.”
The past few weeks have been challenging for the team, with no wins to their name. The recent derby match against Braunschweig was a low point as they lost 0:1. The team was criticized, with the losers having to go to the fence for the fan report, and the coach was questioned as well. The team felt the need to publicly express their confidence in Leitl with a statement: “We’re not discussing the coach.”
However, with nine games without a win and falling from the 5th to the 10th place, it is clear that Hannover 96 needs a quick turnaround. Coach Leitl has plans in motion, and before their Wednesday training session, he gathered the team on the pitch for a pep talk. Leitl gave his team a good hug, indicating that they need to work closely together to get back on track. “We want and need to move closer together. We have to get out of this together, he says.
The pressure is on for the team. With Sandhausen, HSV, Heidenheim and Bielefeld as their next opponents, the challenge looks tough. However, Leitl is determined. “We have to turn that around, we’re responsible for that,” he says. “With a team performance in which every player almost reaches their performance limit – to win games.”
Leitl acknowledges that coaches cannot be on the pitch, but they are there as companions. He also emphasizes the importance of support for the team, especially in challenging times like these. Giving up is not an option, says Leitl. “I’m too happy to be a coach at 96 to say: ‘Hey, I’m tired’. We’re trying to go forward and pick the boys up. Then it’s about finally winning a game.” That would be the way out of the crisis.
