When Robin Dutt talks about the starting line-up, he's not just talking about the 11 players who he will send onto the pitch to start the match. Actually, players 12 to 15 are just as much...
When Robin Dutt talks about the starting line-up, he's not just talking about the 11 players who he will send onto the pitch to start the match. Actually, players 12 to 15 are just as much...
When Robin Dutt talks about the starting line-up, he's not just talking about the 11 players who he will send onto the pitch to start the match. Actually, players 12 to 15 are just as much a part of the established line-up for the head coach.
The current roster situation is a luxury problem for the coach. "At the moment, I am in a situation in which on the one hand I can field a team where there are few reasons to change players. That is a situation which makes me happy as a coach," said Dutt. "On the other hand, I have a couple of players on the bench who invest so much during the week and have so much quality that my heart bleeds a little bit having to leave them out."
One of them is Luca Caldirola. Werder's centre back, who played 33 of 34 Bundesliga matches last season, recently sat out two games in a row. The reason was not the Italian's performance but rather the convincing showings of Sebastian Prödl and Assani Lukimya. All three central defenders are playing at a similar level and the nuances decide who gets to play. It speaks volume for the Italian that he is so supportive of the team despite the situation and is ready whenever he's needed. "It isn't easy but we have a big competition within the team and the only thing that matters is that the best players are on the pitch. Of course I hope that I can play against Augsburg but most important is the success of the team," said Caldirola.
Robin Dutt would not say who will play in the centre of the defense against Augsburg. "On Saturday, there will certainly not be five changes. Two or three changes are always possible. But I will not completely rotate," said the coach at Thursday's press conference.
In the end, it doesn't matter who plays in the starting line-up at the SGL arena. Dutt is convinced that his team will build upon the good recent performances and will finally be rewarded with a victory. "For me, it's important how the team presents itself, how they go into the game and how they work. And that's where we have some momentum. But we also know that the style points don't count. It's just about time for a full three points. We need to play with the tenacity of the last couple games!" said the coach. Regardless if it's Caldirola, Prödl or Lukimya - Dutt has plenty of options.
