FC Heidenheim’s Coach Remains Optimistic Despite Continued Struggles

omidbasir- FC Heidenheim continues to sit at the bottom of the Bundesliga standings following a narrow 1-0 defeat to Augsburg this past weekend. Despite the loss, head coach Frank Schmidt expressed a markedly improved outlook compared to the previous week.

Schmidt remarked on the team’s performance, stating, “We deserve to feel a tad unlucky when one takes the entire game into account. After an evenly matched first half, we gradually played our way into the game and created our chances. Augsburg were eventually pressed back in their own half, and we secured numerous key ball wins along with several scoring opportunities.”

He continued, “We executed well both in and around the penalty area. We should have taken the lead. When you have so many chances, especially with all that space in and around the box, you must convert. After the penalty awarded in the 80th minute, the dynamics of the game shifted significantly in the final 10 minutes.”

Overall, Schmidt felt that his team delivered a commendable and stable performance away from home, noting, “The body language was strong, and they improved as the match progressed. However, points are not awarded for style or aesthetics; this is not figure skating.”

The coach highlighted specific contributions from his players, particularly the two January acquisitions, Christian Conteh and Eren Dinkçi. Conteh, finally fit to play, made his Bundesliga debut starting on the left wing, while Dinkçi operated effectively as a deep-lying playmaker, facilitating opportunities for his midfield partners, Julian Niehues and Jan Schöppner. Bayern loanee Arijon Ibrahimovic also performed well on the right flank.

New signing Hennes Behrens showed promise, supporting Conteh from the left-back position. Additionally, Sirlord Conteh, Christian’s brother, and striker Marvin Pieringer made notable impacts after coming off the bench.

“Today, I sensed not just hope but genuine belief from the team,” Schmidt concluded in the post-match press conference. “They believed they could achieve something. It was a challenging task, and I instructed them to focus solely on winning the match rather than the implications of relegation. Success was the priority.

This isn’t the first time we’ve faced significant pressure with a considerable point gap, and I believe this did not affect our approach or execution of the match plan. In every match this year, we’ve created enough opportunities to secure more than the two points we’ve garnered so far in our seven fixtures of 2026.”

GGFN | Peter Weis