SC Freiburg and the goalkeepers: “With us they all get better”

Alexander Schwolow left the club, Benjamin Uphoff came from Karlsruhe. Mark Flekken was supposed to be the new number one, but after his injury it became Florian Müller, who came from Mainz shortly before the start of the season. The goalkeepers – a big issue at SC Freiburg.

He could never have become a goalkeeper, says Christian Streich, head coach of SC Freiburg. Because of the pressure a goalkeeper is exposed to in professional football. For the coach, this position is probably the most important in all of football.

Christian Streich knows about the pressure on the goalkeepers

Florian Müller will also be at the Freiburger Tor in the second game of the season – on Sunday against VfL Wolfsburg (6 p.m.). Former KSC keeper Benjamin Uphoff will take a seat on the bench.

After Mark Flekken, who was firmly planned as number one, was seriously injured immediately before the cup game at Waldhof Mannheim, Uphoff had justified hopes for his chance in the goal of the first division club. But the sports club loaned the 22-year-old Florian Müller from 1. FSV Mainz 05 for a year – and for good reason. Coach Streich knows about the pressure and the difficult mental life of a goalkeeper.

Many improved

“With us, they all get better” – a clear statement from Streich that can be proven quickly. After a loan to Arminia Bielefeld, Alexander Schwolow matured in Breisgau to become a top goalkeeper in the Bundesliga. During the summer break, Schwolow moved to Hertha BSC. Before him, Oliver Baumann had developed from his own youth over the years at SC Freiburg before finally making the step into international business in Hoffenheim. The Swiss Roman Bürki acclimatized himself in Breisgau, only to become a key success factor at the highest level, both nationally and internationally, despite all the youthful duphoria in Dortmund. Indeed, you, the goalkeepers, all got better in South Baden.

The better maker

Andreas Kronenberg is the man who makes them all better. The Freiburg goalkeeping coach, known as “Krone” for short, has been with the sports club for nine years.

Kronenberg doesn’t just work on the qualities of his protégés. He also moderates the often difficult situation among rival athletes for one place in the goal. And that with an overview and skill. Because the situation with the injured Flekken, the new Müller and the hopeful Uphoff is certainly not an easy one. The sensitive position needs sensitive handling. Kronenberg can obviously do that. Christian Streich probably a little less, at least in his self-assessment.

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