Achim Korn can only shake his head. Hanau Hornets’ spokesman for relegated top division Hanau Hornets thinks little of the considerations of the American Football Association Hessen (AFVH) to play a shortened season without spectators from September.
Offenbach – “I can imagine a lot, but not ghost games,” Korn explains. A match day costs between 800 and 1000 euros. Considerable expense that most teams absorb through audience revenue. “Few clubs in the lower leagues can afford ghost games,” emphasizes Korn.
Another problem is waiting for the footballers: the footballers. “It’s more than hairy. When the footballers are in full play, it will be very difficult to find free places, ”said the Hornets spokesman. He advocates canceling the Landesliga season and playing friendly matches at your own risk. Especially since it takes six weeks of preparation to get the players in the right mood for the league. “Football-specific training is difficult to implement. That also includes tackles, ”emphasizes Korn, who is at least happy to have the boys together again.
There was a change after the descent. The squad has 60 players, most of them are newcomers. Actually, it would have been against local rival Hanau Ravens at the start of the season. The situation there is somewhat different: “The purpose of our club is to play. That’s why we would be there, ”says chairman Peter Weisheit. The Ravens started training in groups of five and strictly according to the guidelines of the Hessian Association.
The new head coach Rick Holland has put together a program for the Hornets. “The players film themselves and upload the video sequences to a platform on the Internet. The trainers correct them and everyone benefits, ”says Korn. Nevertheless, the uncertainty gnaws at him and the other hornets: “We need planning security.”
They also want the league teams around the Rhein-Main Rockets from Offenbach and have announced this in a letter to the association. “We are currently not in a position to be able to hold an almost fair and sporty season in September / October,” it says. It mentions sponsors who are no longer needed, as well as increased costs due to individual hygiene regulations. “For us as small associations, in addition to the membership fees, the spectators and the catering are vital sources of income,” emphasize the clubs. In addition, there was a wave of dismissals, which presented many with considerable problems.
The Rockets and their fellow campaigners therefore advocate a season cancellation and the opportunity to organize friendly games on their own responsibility. “We want to play, but not at any price,” says sporting director Holger Gräcmann. The competition quickly came to a common denominator on this point.
The 3rd chairman of the Offenbach club, Thorsten Kruppka, also misses planning security. With regard to the increased risk of infection, his opinion is clear: “In a game there are about 100 active players, plus 20 to 30 coaches and up to ten helpers. Regular game operations will not be possible this year. We hope for the association’s insight. ”
If development permits, the Offenbachers want to organize two or three friendlies on their own doorstep. These could not replace a season, but they could offer players a perspective. A ray of hope for the Rockets: at the end of May, the youth should start training with a running school.
BY JÖRN POLZIN
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