Baumgart: “We are working on finding the right solutions”

On Tuesday afternoon, Steffen Baumgart led the first training session of the week, with the match against Magdeburg fast approaching. The injured Robert Glatzel, as well as the national team players, who are now gradually returning to the Volkspark, remained absent. After this opening session, Baumgart answered questions from the press, in particular regarding matters of personnel decisions, which the coach shed some light on. Who can replace top scorer Glatzel, who will start in goal at the weekend and what other squad alterations could there be? Here is what Steffen Baumgart had to say about...

…the situation surrounding Robert Glatzel’s injury: In Bobby, we have lost a player who has not only scored a lot of goals recently, but over an extended period. It’s hard to take for both Bobby himself and also for us, the team. We all hope that he can make his return soon, but right now we have to work on finding the right solutions in order to make up for his absence. We won’t be able to simply replace Robert Glatzel on a one-to-one basis off the back of his recent form, so we need to find other solutions. Tackling that issue is what we are focused on currently. We trust the lads we’ve got here. We have Davie Selke and Ransford Königsdörffer already, as well as our young attackers like Otto Stange and Omar Sillah. We want to work together to deal with the situation.

"I haven’t yet decided who I’m going to pick to play at the weekend"

…the goalkeeper debate: Daniel Heuer Fernandes has now returned to training after his recent absence through injury, forcing him to miss the games we had planned that he would play. Matheo Raab has done very well during this period, and he was actually our choice to start the season in goal. It’s a complex situation and I haven’t yet decided who I’m going to pick to play at the weekend. First of all, Ferro would have to do well in the two high intensity training sessions, before we take a considered look at everything and make an assessment and decision on Friday or Saturday at the latest. One thing is clear, though. Being in this situation is an absolute luxury, but it will be hard to take for whoever I decide against.

…the goalkeeper debate: Daniel Heuer Fernandes has now returned to training after his recent absence through injury, forcing him to miss the games we had planned that he would play. Matheo Raab has done very well during this period, and he was actually our choice to start the season in goal. It’s a complex situation and I haven’t yet decided who I’m going to pick to play at the weekend. First of all, Ferro would have to do well in the two high intensity training sessions, before we take a considered look at everything and make an assessment and decision on Friday or Saturday at the latest. One thing is clear, though. Being in this situation is an absolute luxury, but it will be hard to take for whoever I decide against.