SGV Freiberg coach and manager regrets that his players are totally isolated from the Red Devils: “Not even a photo: it’s sad”

Club manager Dieter Gerstung shares his coach’s opinion.We did everything for the Belgian team, we fulfilled all their wishes. But in return, we did not receive a single photo or a signed jersey. However, club employees made the request. It is sad.”

Coach Seitz coached Paderborn and Aue in D2. “Aue is the club where Domenico Tedesco was also coach, ten years after me”this Seitz. “I was able to say hello to him quickly about ten days ago. For the rest, we are made to understand that we must not bother them. Should I hold it against them? If it is a decision by UEFA for security reasons, I cannot hold it against Belgium. But if it is their own wish, I think it is a shame. We are all professionals – otherwise we would not survive in the German D4 – we live from football. You understand that it would please us to exchange a few words with De Bruyne or Lukaku. Never again in their lives will my players be able to be so close to world stars.”

The gate to the magnificent pitches 1 and 2, completely rebuilt at the expense of the Belgian Union, was nevertheless opened for a SGV training session on the day of the Devils’ match against Romania in Cologne. “Don’t worry, we didn’t train on the grass.”this Seitz. “My players did a physical session on the athletics track around the pitch.”

The Freiberg players are not making a big deal out of it. “That’s how it is and we have to respect it.”says captain Marco Kehl-Gomez (ex-Grasshoppers Zurich in Switzerland).We are happy to be able to play on two excellent pitches this season.”

When the idea of ​​a friendly match is raised – France played against Paderborn (0-7) and the Netherlands against TSV Havelse (1-6) – Kehl-Gomez beams.It would be a dream to play against Belgium. As a midfielder, I would be pitted against De Bruyne, the best midfielder in the world. I promise to be careful not to hurt him. But we haven’t heard anything about that yet. I don’t really believe in it.”

The local Lukaku is Simon Klostermann. And he too has a connection with Domenico Tedesco.”He was my coach in U19 at Hoffenheim. I already felt that he was a top coach. Do you want an anecdote? If he got his coaching diploma, it’s partly thanks to me (laughs). He passed his exam while giving me training, in 2017. I remember that he spoke all the languages, even French with your compatriot Alessandro Albanese (Editor’s note: in Beveren today). I haven’t met Tedesco yet, but I think he would remember me.”

Only one player managed to circumvent the ban on contact with Devils, the Italian-German Domenico Alberico. “I saw my friend Amadou Onana. We spoke briefly. I played with him in midfield at Hoffenheim. We played together in the Youth League in 2018-2019. We reached the semi-finals. With him by my side, we beat Manchester City (5-2)Lyon (3-1) and Real Madrid (4-2). We reached the semi-finals (Hoffenheim had been eliminated by Porto – 0-3 with a goal and an assist from Fabio Silva, ex-Anderlecht). Amadou already stood out from the crowd: with his size, his technique and his mentality to pull the whole team up.”