06/22/05
Season review part VI
- Cedrick Makiadi (r.) goes head to head with Maik Wagefeld
Wolfsburg - "On Sunday we will see if we can advance any further", announced Erik Gerets before the match against 1. FC Nürnberg . This was the final chance to make the UEFA cup and the competitive and lucrative games in the European competition. Wolfsburg’s coach wanted to leave no stone unturned and ordered his team to make a rock-climbing expedition to Bad Harzburg. This unusual measure was supposed to encourage teamwork.
Stefan Schnoor’s missed chance in the final minute was symbolic of the Wolves’ extremely unhappy 0-1 loss in the VOLKSWAGEN ARENA. Wolfsburg created a large number of goal opportunities for themselves, but were unable to take advantage of any of them. Despite the loss, VfL remained in ninth place. But sixth place moved ever further into the distance. As Erik Gerets said, "Now we need a small miracle."
- Eternal match-up: Mpenza versus the outstanding Jentzsch (r.)
0-0 in Ländle, fantastic free kick by Petrov
The next hurdle for Gerets’ troupe was an away game at VfB Stuttgart - the 30th game of the season. A tough test, since the Swabians were still fighting for a place in the Champions League. But the Wolves secured a 0-0, thanks to good defensive work and an unbeatable Jentzsch. Despite the point gain, participation in the UEFA Cup was still out of reach with the Wolves trailing by nine points.
The smaller and more realistic goal was to win a place at the UI Cup. In any case, Wolfsburg could defend their ninth place spot with a win over Hamburger SV (1:0). The Red Pants, who needed every point they could get in their struggle with Werder Bremen and Bayer Leverkusen, ended up losing their chance at qualifying for the UEFA Cup. VfL’s win was essentially due to two players: Martin Petrov, who made an inspired free kick, and Simon Jentzsch, who drove the opposition mad with his numerous parees.
- No more kicking: Roy Präger hangs up his cleats
Präger retires
Before the green-and-white went to Berlin for their next difficult away game against Hertha BSC, one of VfL’s greatest heroes announced his retirement from professional soccer: Roy Präger. The blond-headed player hung up his cleats after 173 games and 42 goals (for Wolfsburg: 90/24).
The strength of the Wolfsburg defense was put to the test in Berlin, but the offense was ineffectual. With a concentrated and disciplined defensive effort, the guests held the uninspired Berliner ball-handlers in check and went into a deserved 1-0 lead after seventeen minutes on a goal from Martin Petrov. But after the half-time replacements, Hertha turned the game around. Arne Friedrich, Marcelinho and Alexander Madlung scored for the home team. 1:3 was the final result. Still, Wolfsburg remained in ninth place.
- Battle of the "midgets": D' Alessandro (l.) and Gonzalo Castro
Mirror-image halves
Before the final home game versus Bayer Leverkusen, the goal was to stay in ninth place, which would have sufficed to secure a place in the UI Cup. D' Alessandro played - and very well, at that – spurring on the Wolves offense and making a large contribution to their strongest first half of the season. The goals were scored by others, however: Miroslav Karhan shot for the 1-0, and Thomas Brdaric added another point right before the half. But the change of sides completely altered the picture, and the Wolves let the game get snatched away from under their noses. Franca, who came in after the break, reduced the lead to 2-1 and Daniel Bierofka, also newly brought in off the bench, provided for the feared, but deserved, draw.
- Will be honing the sporting skills of VfL in the future: Holger Fach
Fach follows Gerets
The situation before the 34th game of the season, at Arminia Bielefeld, was clear: A victory had to come in order to secure ninth place and a spot at the UI Cup. Without Simon Jentzsch (knee arthroscopy in Berlin), the Wolves won their last game of the season 2-1 by eliminating the faulty ball handling and countering of previous games. Fatmir Vata brought the Arminians out front 1-0, but Martin Petrov and Thomas Brdaric turned the game around. After this respectable end to the season it was time to take stock. Everyone agreed that the season should have been more successful than it was. After the outstanding first round, ninth place was a disappointment for fans and players alike.
Erik Gerets didn’t see a future for himself at VfL, and on May 28 the Belgian announced his resignation. A few days later team president Thomas Strunz presented Holger Fach as the new manager.
- Died in the night of May 25-26, 2005: Krzysztof Nowak
Nowak loses the battle
Meanwhile, the A juniors and the sensational first place B juniors provided hope for the future. Bad news from the women’s and amateur teams, both of whom lost their place in the division, moving down to the second national league. A painful setback from a sporting point of view, but completely trivial in relation to the tragic news of the death of the “Ten of Hearts”. Krzysztof Nowak died in the night of May 25-26 after a long period of suffering. The 29-year old suffered from the incurable nerve disease ALS. He left behind his wife Beata, and children, Maximilian (9) and Maria (4). On June 5, Nowak was buried in the Wolfsburg cemetery a well-visited ceremony.
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