Out From The Iron Curtain | 1. FC Union Berlin

[keeper#1]

2029-30 Season Review - Save From Relegation: It's Demo Day!

It was a long slog through the winter and into the spring but Union Berlin was saved from relegation with two matches remaining in the season.  But it wasn't because we were winning matches with style and grace.  We were grinding out draws.  After we beat Dortmund 3-2 in early February, we only won two of our last fourteen matches.  We had five draws in those matches to earn 11 points in the run-in to the finish.  Not exactly great football but other clubs went even worse than us so we bobbed our heads above water to earn another season of Bundesliga football.  So what's next?  Blowing the whole thing up and starting from scratch.  Most of the roster isn't cut out for Bundesliga.  Heck, most of the roster isn't cut out for 2.Bundesliga football.  I need to spend the summer selling what assets that I can, letting bad contracts expire, and finding younger players with upside come into the club.

Here's how the three players that I did bring in over the winter fared:

GK Adam Filip: Did solid work in net for a 21-year old kid thrust into the starting job probably a little before he was ready for it - He had a high GAA of 1.52 but kept five clean sheets which shows me that he can handle the lower teams in the league but struggles, like the rest of the team, when facing stronger competition.  Definitely a player to keep around for future seasons

RB Marco Gardsvoll: Another player thrust into a starting role before they were ready and did a good job of holding down the position - He didn't turn the ball over (92% pass completion rate), he won the ball at a rate that is one of the best in the league (84%) but he's weak in the air with a 33% headers won rate..

DM Jan-Phillip Engemann - Engemann is the player who had the toughest adjustment probably because it had the hardest role to fit into.  The defensive midfielder has to get the offense started but make sure he is back in position to help the defense.  It's a tough ask for a seasoned veteran.  It's even tougher for a 20-year old who isn't quite ready for the job.  He needs work all around his game.  Tackling (72%), pass completion (89%), and getting involved in the offense (0 goals and 1 assist)

Youth Intake

 

A decent intake for the club.  We got a top line forward and another forward who could help the club in a rotational role.  We also got a midfielder who can also us going forward.  Not a lot of help on the defensive side of the ball though.

CF Aymar Kalonji 30A

CF Petr Dvorak 30B

CM Bilal Dogan 30C

CF Gerhard Schaller 30D

RW Gabriel Pascher 30E