“Challenge” in Heidenheim: Eintracht feels the curse of good deeds

In terms of the table, Eintracht is already a top team. The trainer also feels this on the journey between Midtjylland and Heidenheim. But while the demands around him shift, Toppmöller simply remains Toppmöller.

Dino Toppmöller at Eintracht Frankfurt training

Eintracht coach and haven of peace Dino Toppmöller.
Image © Imago Images

Something has happened at Eintracht. The uncertainty and doubts were not insignificant before the season. Dino Toppmöller still looked like a trainer on probation in the summer. Now the Advent season is just around the corner and if you spent the months in between in a dead zone, a Toppmöller would not be able to read his team’s current position in the table.

With almost stoic friendliness, he answered everything the press wanted to know from him before the away game at 1. FC Heidenheim on Sunday (5:30 p.m.). But the questions have changed. The fact that Hugo Ekitiké gave in to his penchant for heel tricks once too much “didn’t blow us away,” replies Toppmöller. He liked the fact that the leading players themselves were “not 100 percent satisfied” because a game like this had to be “closed earlier” much better.

Eintracht is a top team – right?

All this, mind you, after a 2-1 away win at Danish champions FC Midtjylland. The seventh win from the last eight games across all competitions. Eintracht are second in the Bundesliga after eleven match days and, according to all the evidence available so far, they are a top team. Based on the squad and previous history, it was not possible to conclude that this development was inevitable.

Successes that have seeped into the team’s self-image little by little. The team is gradually being asked to meet other standards. Sports director Markus Krösche commented after the performance in Midtjylland: “Of course we won, but overall I think we didn’t do that well.” He particularly disliked the use of opportunities.

At the same time, Toppmöller discovered a pronounced “greed”, especially in his leading players. As a coach, he of course has to keep “putting his finger on the wound” and saying what went well and where the team can still improve. But this works even better when the spokespeople “bring this intrinsic motivation” and also speak up in the locker room. That’s why he promises: Eintracht will also play in Heidenheim with a “top mindset”.

Heidenheim will be “a good challenge”

The past few days have been particularly strenuous. Toppmöller himself arrived at the press conference on Thursday around 20 minutes late – he went straight from the plane to the desk. “But I don’t want to focus on the topic of fatigue,” says Toppmöller. “In the end, victories actually help.” Heidenheim isn’t much different. They also played against Chelsea in the Conference League on Thursday.

Despite a 0-2 defeat, it was nothing less than the biggest game ever for FCH. The Swabian village club has probably written the most unlikely success story in German professional football in recent years. “So far it has not been easy for any team to play in Heidenheim,” warned Toppmöller. “The respect is huge. Not just with me, but throughout football in Germany. Anyone who has seen the club’s journey is absolutely impressive.” Conclusion: “It will be a good challenge for us.”

Toppmöller understands Krösche’s criticism

It becomes clear that they have to win, even without Toppmöller saying it. An interesting coincidence: on the Transfermarkt portal, the squad values of Midtjylland (63 million euros) and Heidenheim (63.3 million) are traded almost the same. After a narrow victory in Denmark became the subject of internal style criticism, the Hessians will not be satisfied with less than three points on the Ostalb.

Hugo Larsson still — Image © Imago Images

Toppmöller therefore understood Krösche’s quiet criticism to be quite effective and provided help with interpretation: “It’s not just about what he says, but also why he says something. He wants us to stay sharp, not to rest, not to let anything blind us.

What was certainly meant in the “Something” category was that the SGE had set a Chelsea FC record with its 18th Europa League game without defeat across the season. Chelsea FC, who won 2-0 in Heidenheim on the same evening. Emulating the Londoners a little further wouldn’t be a bad plan for now. Even though that might be bad for expectation management.

Editor:
Aaron Knopp

Broadcast:
hr1, home game! ,

11/30/24, 3:15 p.m

Source: hessenschau.de

“Challenge” in Heidenheim: Eintracht feels the curse of good deeds | hessenschau.de

The Eintracht PK before the away game in Heidenheim

Eintracht is a top team – right?

Krösche: “We still have to get four or five points”

Heidenheim will be “a good challenge”

Koch: “We have to close the bag earlier”

Toppmöller understands Krösche’s criticism

Larsson: “In the end it’s about scoring more goals than the opponent”