Perspective and development: a winter that has shaped SV Elversberg
SV Elversberg have completed their winter preparations and are heading into the second half of the season with a clear plan. After an intensive training camp in Spain, a goal-laden test match against FC Basel, and consciously putting an exceptional transfer into perspective, attentions are now turning to the future. The season relaunch in Nuremberg is not a moment of upheaval, but rather a continuation of their development so far.
Spending the winter in a direct promotion spot – before the season started, few people (even those at SV Elversberg) thought this would be possible given their starting point. After profound staffing changes over the summer that saw replacements required for numerous top performers and even manager Horst Steffen, many people viewed SVE as likely to be sitting towards the bottom end of the table. Instead, the team have established remarkable rhythm during the first half of the season, scored the highest number of goals in the second division, and consistently remained in the top three since the seventh day of play.
Despite this sporting reality, the tone at Elversberg has remained deliberately matter-of-fact. Sports director Ole Book has avoided making grand proclamations and repeatedly put the team’s development in perspective: ‘Fundamentally, the first half of the season significantly exceeded our expectations, and we should continue to emphasise this so that our expectations for the future remain realistic.’ This means that the current objective is still the 40-point mark, which represents a guaranteed spot in the division – even in a season where the table opened up some time ago.
Fundamentally, the first half of the season significantly exceeded our expectations, and we should continue to emphasise this so that our expectations for the future remain realistic.
Sports director Ole Book
One inextricable part of this winter was the departure of Younes Ebnoutalib. Signed from the Regionalliga Südwest for just 50,000 euros just under a year ago, the top scorer in the first half of the season has now transferred to Eintracht Frankfurt for a total of ten million euros. Ebnoutalib had become the face of the team after twelve goals in 17 matches, making his departure even more momentous.
Ole Book made no secret of how difficult this decision was – and why it was nevertheless a logical one: ‘Somewhere along the line, we reached a point where we as a club could and had to decide what would be best for us in the short, medium and long term – and it was always clear that there was a tipping point in terms of amount where we would have to make that choice.’ SVE was unable and unwilling to turn down an offer of this magnitude.
The response to this transfer was clear. In David Mokwa and Raif Adam, two young attackers were signed who reflect the club’s profile: ripe for development and with potential, but no aspirations to immediately step straight into Ebnoutalib’s role. SVE invested a total of around two million euros in new players, leaving a significant sum left over. This money is deliberately not being fed back into the squad. Book emphasised: ‘Fundamentally, we are convinced that this team, this squad is very, very strong. When I see their intensity, plus their team spirit and how they operate together as a group, I am even more convinced that the squad will stay as it is.’
Instead, they will be focusing on infrastructure. Funding had already been secured to complete the stands in the URSAPHARM Arena on Kaiserlinde, so the spare money from the transfer will primarily be invested in the St. Ingbert training ground. ‘We are still far from second-division level in terms of infrastructure, especially training infrastructure, and these transfers will go a long way towards helping’, Book explained. The current container structure is only designed to serve as a temporary solution, so a functional building is to be built in the medium term.
We are still far from second-division level in terms of infrastructure, especially training infrastructure, and these transfers will go a long way towards helping
Sports director Ole Book
Training camp, test match and preparing for the restart
Elversberg bridged the gap between the first and second halves of the season with sporting preparations in Mijas, near Málaga in Spain. The team completed an intense training camp that had clear objectives right from the outset. It was initially marked by rainy weather that made day-to-day training difficult, but the Spanish sun then set in as the days continued. Apart from one Tuesday off, the team had a session on the pitch at least once a day and did high-intensity work on processes, fitness and fine tuning.
However, things got off to a somewhat bumpy start. ‘We definitely had two exciting days, as the two new signings were still being finalised on the first couple of days’, Ole Book noted looking back. Nevertheless, the team quickly switched into the work mode set by manager Vincent Wagner: structured, focused, without any major swings being evident.
The sporting finale of the training camp came in the form of a test match against Swiss first-division team and Europa League competitors FC Basel at the Marbella Football Center. At the last minute, the match was postponed by half an hour to 2:30 p.m. after Switzerland announced a national day of mourning for the victims of the Crans-Montana fire disaster. Both clubs adjusted their schedules accordingly.
The two managers agreed on a match with two 60-minute halves, in front of around 200 spectators. Vincent Wagner initially used the match to present the starting eleven that will most likely also be beginning the second half of the season against 1. FC Nürnberg. In front of goalkeeper Nicolas Kristof stood a four-man backfield of Felix Keidel, Lukas Pinckert, Maximilian Rohr and Lasse Günther, with Lukasz Poreba and Frederik Schmahl operating in the defensive midfield. On the attacking side, Wagner opted for Tom Zimmerschied, Bambasé Conté and Lukas Petkov behind new arrival David Mokwa.
The start of the match confirmed that this had been a good choice. Shortly after the starting whistle, Mokwa picked up an assist from Zimmerschied to secure an early lead. Although Xherdan Shaqiri equalised for Basel, SVE remained bold, continually putting their opponents under pressure and creating clear opportunities. Bambasé Conté once again put Elversberg in the lead, before the Swiss team equalised once again. A deflected long shot by Maximilian Rohr and another goal by Mokwa secured a well-earned 4:2 after the first hour.
Once the two teams had made all their substitutions, the match remained open and filled with goals. Basel upped the pressure at points, whilst SVE were forced to increase their defensive work but nevertheless still directed play. After the Swiss team chalked up another goal to leave them just one behind, Raif Adam converted a cross from Nicolas Mickelson and scored to put things at 5:3, with Luca Schnellbacher adding another goal shortly after. Basel came close once again in the final stages, but Elversberg held firm and retained their 6:5 lead to the final whistle.
David Mokwa was matter-of-fact about his successful debut: ‘Yes, that was a great start. The team have really welcomed me this week.’ Vincent Wagner sounded happy with the team’s performance but was also critical: ‘The sun is shining and we won, so that is great. But conceding five goals isn’t so great.’ Another special moment was supplied by Luca Pfeiffer, who was substituted on in the final minutes after being out for a long time due to meningitis.
The sun is shining and we won, so that is great. But conceding five goals isn’t so great.
Manager Vincent Wagner
After returning from Spain, the team have ultimately turned their attentions back to the future. The first-leg match against Nürnberg remains strong in people’s memories: their 1:0 home win that kicked off the season was hard fought right from the outset with opportunities on both sides, and was only ultimately clinched with a header by Maximilian Rohr. SVE were also fortunate in stoppage time, when a penalty awarded was subsequently withdrawn after VAR review and the subsequent free kick hit the crossbar.
The second half of a season now awaits, bringing with it a challenging task. Nürnberg have stabilised after a weak start to the season, climbing from last place in the table up to eighth under manager Miroslav Klose, and most recently have an unbeaten streak of five home games in a row. FCN have also been playing enthusiastically in their test matches.
SV Elversberg are therefore heading into a second half of the season shaped more by a clear attitude than by major announcements. Preparations are complete and the course has been set. What comes next is not a restart, but rather continuing development – and the next step begins at the weekend.