Four games, four wins: Things are going perfectly for our second team as they prepare for their first match of the spring phase of the season, an away fixture against Rot-Weiß Oberhausen on the 18 February.

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Scenes from the friendly game against Schott Mainz with Hamadi Al Ghaddioui

After a 25 day long rest period, things immediately started well with wins over the Regional League North team FC St. Pauli II (5-3) and 3. Bundesliga outfit Fortuna Köln. After that, another Regional League North team, BSV Rehden, were given an 8-0 thrashing, while Schott Mainz, who currently lead the Oberliga in the region, were beaten 3-2. However, Daniel Farke was not only satisfied with the results. He was also very pleased with the thoroughly convincing performances given by his boys, who have shown themselves to be in good form during this early training period.

The coach praised his charges in glowing terms before departing for a training camp in Huelva: "Everything was exceptionally good, the boys really put in a great effort and were prepared to work hard on the day." In doing so, they showed they are ready for the challenges awaiting them in the three-way title race against Gladbach II and Viktoria Köln.

As such, Daniel Farke set off for the Atlantic coast in Andalusia with a "great feeling". They will spend a week there in order to fine tune themselves on the training pitch, a process which will be concluded with more friendly matches against the Regional League South West teams SV Elversberg (this Friday) and VfB Stuttgart II (next Tuesday).

Joseph-Claude Gyau and Alen Ozbolt are no longer with the team. US National player Gyau, who had just caught up with the team after a break of almost 23 months due to injury, has transferred to 3. Bundesliga team Sonnenhof Großaspach. Ozbolt, who only made three short appearances during the autumn phase of the season, has returned to his hometown club NK Domzale in Slovenia.

Daniel Farke was reluctant to let Joe Gyau go: "He could have become very important for us in the spring after recovering fully and going through a full training programme. However, he had the opportunity to move to a higher league, and we did not want to deny him that chance." Farke is aware, though, of the risks that come with a squad reduced to just 19 outfield players: "We cannot afford anymore happenings...".
Udo Stark