The Wolves are back on the pitch! Strictly speaking, pre-season had already begun on Monday with performance testing spread across two days. Wednesday, however, marked the official start: In temperatures of 31 degrees Celsius and under blazing sunshine, the new Green-and-White coaching staff officially welcomed the squad onto the grass in the afternoon. It was not only the B pitch at the VfL Centre that was bustling with activity, as almost 500 fans of all ages also came along to get a first look at the many new faces.
Glatzel, Reese and Wahl involved
“Experiencing the last few days, when the performance tests got underway, was already great. But stepping out onto the pitch in front of the team for the first time makes it even more special. I’m full of anticipation and eager to get started,” said VfL head coach Tobias Strobl, who, together with his coaching staff, welcomed a total of 31 players to the opening session. While some worked individually in the gym, new signings Robert Glatzel, Fabian Reese and Hauke Wahl were straight into the action. No fewer than eight academy talents – Dinaylo Brito, Henrik Fehr, Truls Furuseth, Max Greger, Noah Horn, Marko Mandity, Bent Peters and Isaiah Seretis – were also given the opportunity to impress and, like the rest of the squad, received a loud and heartfelt round of applause during their warm-up lap.
Plenty of activity around the training ground
While the Green-and-Whites completed their almost two-hour workout, consisting of both running and ball exercises, there was also plenty going on on the other side of the training-ground fence. Several hundred fans accepted the invitation to attend the first training session of the season, while others arrived throughout the afternoon, many by bicycle, in the Allerpark. Numerous supporters, especially the youngest ones, enjoyed the four entertainment stations set up as a colourful activity zone or spent time with Wölfi, who could be found all around the pitch. Others chatted over a cold drink with fellow fans, but most gathered beneath the shade-giving trees around the training ground to watch the action unfold.
Autograph session heavily attended
There was another round of applause when the two groups eventually came together and the professionals, academy talents and coaches began mingling with the crowd immediately after training ended. Many fans were delighted to take the opportunity to get closer to the Wolves, whether for photos and autographs or simply a chat. Others took the chance to wish the team all the best for the journey ahead. Incidentally, anyone who missed out on Wednesday or was unable to attend will have another opportunity to meet VfL players and coaches in person at the VfL Family Festival, including the integrated Kids Day, held around the Volkswagen Arena.
