SV Meppen coach, Ernst Middendorp, has opened up after his side’s second successive 3-0 defeats.
The German mentor resigned as a Swallows coach with few matches remaining before the end of the DStv Premiership season to take charge of German third-tier side, SV Meppen.
But life back in Germany has not been easy for the 64-year-old. Since his appointment, SV Meppen has lost four matches, won one and drew one. On Sunday, his side suffered a second successive 3-0 defeat.
“Of course it’s not that easy to comment on this appropriately, we tried to get us in front from the start of the game,” Middendorp said during the post match press conference after the 3-0 home defeat to Ingolstadt.
“I think that is certainly how we saw the game in the second half. I’m always asked: where do you get the confidence that it’s still possible to come back with three points in the next games.
“At the moment I feel that we’re trying to organize ourselves especially getting through in the final third of the field. But at the end of the day, over 90 minutes, if you judge it honestly, we hardly ever had a compelling chance to score.
“At the end of the day, this is a major disappointment.”
With seven matches remaining before the end of the season, SV Meppen remain rooted at the bottom of the table with 24 points. The bottom four teams in the League will be relegated at the end of the season.
“I think for the whole region one has always hoped but at the moment one has to be realistic. I think it will be very difficult to see further hope somewhere on the horizon,” said the former Swallows coach.
Results since Ernst Middendorp took over
SV Elversberg 2 SV Meppen 2 (11 March)
SV Meppen 1 Verl 3 (14 March)
Viktoria Koln 3 SV Meppen 1 (17 March)
SV Meppen 3 Erzgerige Aue 2 (25 March)
Bayrueth 3 SV Meppen 0 (31 March)
SV Meppen 0 Ingolstadt 3 (9 April)
SV Meppen Remaining matches
vs Borussia Dortmund II (Away –15 April)
vs Saarbrucken (Home – 23 April)
vs Wehen Wiesbaden (Away – 29 April)
vs Essen (Home – 6 May)
vs Vfl Osnabruck (Away – 14 May)
vs Dynamo (Home – 22 May)
vs Freiburg II (Away – 27 May)
Bottom half of the table
11 Erzgebirge Aue: 39 Points
12 Ingolstadt: 38 Points
13 MSV Duisburg: 36 Points
14 Essen: 36 Points
15 Borussia Dortmund II: 34 Points
16 Hallescher: 32 Points
17 Bayreuth: 31 Points
18 Zwickau: 28 Points
19 VfB Oldenburg: 27 Points
20 SV Meppen: 24 Points
By Zola Doda