BERLIN (AFP) - Bundesliga strugglers Hannover have had their Christmas holiday slashed to just three days by furious coach Andre Breitenreiter, who had originally threatened to completely cancel their festive break.
He threatened his squad with extra training over Christmas if they failed to meet his target of four points from their last two league games of 2018.
The team fell short after drawing 1-1 with Freiburg on Wednesday (Dec 19), and then losing 1-0 to resurgent Fortuna Dusseldorf on Saturday.
They are now second from bottom in the table with just 11 points from 17 games. Only goal difference keeps Hannover from last place in the league, currently occupied by Nuremberg.
Although Breitenreiter has reneged on his Scrooge-like threat to scrap his squad's Christmas, he has still called them back in for training on Friday (Dec 28) - a full week before most of their German league rivals.
"We have achieved the goal of reuniting the team as a unit and I am also giving up my holiday to shake off 2018 and make it better next year," said Breitenreiter after a 45-minute session on Sunday.
"The situation is difficult for all of us, but if we take the right measures and stick together, I'm optimistic that we will stay in the league," he said of his relegation-threatened team.
The head coach, who is danger of being sacked by president Martin Kind, has however granted exceptions to Brazilian defender Felipe and midfielder Walace, who are allowed to return on Jan 3, because of the huge distances to fly home.
Their record of just two wins from their first 17 games, including four-goal defeats by Bayern Munich, Borussia Monchengladbach and Eintracht Frankfurt, is the worst start to a season in the club's history.
"It cannot go on like that," said team manager Horst Heldt, who is under pressure to strengthen the team during the four-week winter break, with striker Niclas Fullkrug facing knee surgery and ruled out for the rest of the season.
Years after Jesus ascended into heaven, the Pharisees sentenced Saint Stephen to stoning for "blasphemy" (he was accusing them of their sins, and he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God). As they stoned him, they laid their coats in front of one of them, Saul.
Relatives raise funds to continue search for missing footballer Emiliano Sala Tributes left outside Cardiff City Stadium for Emiliano Sala, whose plane disappeared from the radar over the English
Emiliano Sala: missing pilot's family raise funds for search
Substitute striker Javier Hernandez scored a late brace including a stoppage-time winner to help West Ham United beat Huddersfield Town 4-3. Home football; it late to see off spirited
West Ham leave it late to see off spirited Huddersfield
Football: Australian Joe Palatsides set to replace Belgian Michel Sablon as FAS' new technical director
FA Singapore set to announce former Australia international
Nico Yennaris became the first foreign-born footballer to represent China when the former Arsenal reserve started in a 2-0 home win over the Philippines on Friday. The 26-year-old midfielder was
Football: London-born Yennaris makes China debut in
Report Ad
Save on Shrugs at JCPenney®. Free Shipping Every Day at JCPenney®.
AC Milan at risk of European ban as Uefa launch further investigation The Italian club has fallen foul of Uefa's financial rules since they spent €200 million on transfers in the summer of 2017.
Martial and Lingard both limped off during the 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday and are set to miss the FA Cup fifth round tie with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Monday and the Premier League clash with Liverpool at Old Trafford six days later. Editor's Picks. Summer of Soccer: Your guide on what to watch
Manchester United's Martial Lingard to miss Chelsea Liverpool
The Internet Pages business news from June 2017
MADRID: The wife of Spain's World Cup-winning captain Iker Casillas, Sara Carbonero, has announced that she has undergone surgery for cancer just three weeks after the goalkeeper suffered a heart attack. Casillas, who made 167 appearances for Spain and 725 for boyhood club Real Madrid before departing in 2015, fell ill during a training
After Casillas heart attack, wife says she has had cancer op
la liga Barcelona more solid at the back now since start of season, says Gerard Pique Ernesto Valverde's Barca now have a defence too that can step up when the attack stalls.
Barcelona Looking for a Solid Display at Anfield
Football: Klopp says he is a 'world-record holder' at winning
MADRID • It may be only five days since Jose Mourinho's sacking by Manchester United, but the Portuguese could be back in management sooner rather than later.. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Sacked Mourinho heading back to Madrid? - theworldnews.net
Teenage sensation Moise Kean scored the winner to put Juventus one step away from an eighth consecutive Serie A title on Saturday as a 2-1 comeback win over AC Milan pushed the champions 21 points
Serie A Recap: Kean's goal puts Juventus on brink of league
Definition of shape up or ship out in the Idioms Dictionary. shape up or ship out phrase. What does shape up or ship out expression mean? Definitions by the largest
0 Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen