Hoffenheim coach Wagner: "We take with us the feeling that we were the better team"

Vincent Wagner and his team are still at the top. IMAGO/Football-News Saarland

Tottenham Hotspur, RSC Anderlecht, Kickers Offenbach - these are the opponents against whom David Mokwa has recently scored. What is "a dream come true" for the 20-year-old, who not only made his debut in the Europa League but also in the Bundesliga in January, is probably causing Vincent Wagner sleepless nights. "Of course, I don't come into the office every day and jump for joy. We actually have a change in every transfer period," the TSG Hoffenheim II coach admitted in view of the imponderables in his squad before the top match against the OFC (1:1) .

Only Izzet Erdal (Gaziantep FK) left the Kraichgauer's second team in the winter. But top scorer Mokwa (twelve goals, five assists) and Hennes Behrens , two of the regional league leaders' key players, are now an integral part of the Bundesliga team's training. Florian Micheler and Paul Hennrich are also not fully available to Wagner because they are needed in Christian Ilzer's Bundesliga team. Noah König and Luka Djuric have also already been called up by the Austrian to the squad. On the one hand, it is "nice to see when players take the next step," said Wagner. On the other hand, "when it comes to coordination, it is of course not always easy." According to the 38-year-old, Mokwa, who was rather lackluster apart from his impressive goal against Hesse, "has not trained with us once in the last six weeks because he was with the pros."

It is the dilemma of a coach at the interface. Development comes before results for the "Hoffe" reserves, it is part of the club's philosophy. And the fact that a large proportion of the players who came from the U19s to the U23s before the season as double winners have already established themselves in the men's division is also a sign of quality for Wagner. The qualified teacher (history and sport) therefore made it clear: "The desire clearly outweighs the frustration." Especially because the village club has an almost endless reservoir of talent.

While Mokwa hopes to be part of the Bundesliga team more often in the coming "weeks and months," Simon Kalambayi is preparing to fill the gap left by his French compatriot. The 20-year-old, who moved from FC Metz to the TSG Academy in the summer of 2023, is fit again after an injury break of almost a year - and impressed with his technique and overview after being substituted on against OFC. "We are happy that we have Simon," emphasized Wagner. "We will still need him."