Former championship-winning coach Felix Magath has lost faith in VfL Wolfsburg’s ability to avoid relegation.
«I fear that it’s going to be the 2nd division for VfL,» the 72-year-old stated on Sunday during the Sport1 Doppelpass program. Magath had attended the Wolves’ 0-0 draw against Borussia Mönchengladbach in the stadium, despite initially not wanting to go.
He admitted, «‘I said: ‘No, let it be. I don’t want to be in this situation.» Then, considering their recent success against Union Berlin (2-1), he changed his mind: »With this victory behind them, they’ll manage it now.’ So I thought, I’ll go after all.'»
Magath Disappointed by Wolfsburg’s Performance in Gladbach
What Magath witnessed subsequently left him disappointed. «Then I sat there and thought to myself: ‘If my team had trained the way they were milling about down there, I would have told them, pack up, that’s enough, we’re not training today, we’ll come back tomorrow.» There was a lack of activity. ‘I had the feeling they were creeping across the pitch more than running,’ said Magath, who coached Wolfsburg from 2007 to 2009 and from 2011 to 2012. In 2009, he surprisingly led the club to the championship, and in 2011, he saved them on the final matchday.
For a similar success to occur this season, Magath warned against relying solely on a potential final showdown on the last matchday against FC St. Pauli. «It’s risky,» he commented: «One game is a gamble, you can always win or lose it.» With three games remaining, VfL occupies a direct relegation spot in 17th place, trailing St. Pauli and the relegation playoff position by one point.