FC Carl Zeiss Jena is working hard to stay in the Bundesliga. Sports Director Isabelle Knipp sees good changes ahead.
FC Carl Zeiss Jena is fighting to avoid dropping out of the Bundesliga for the second year in a row. The team sits in last place right now. But Isabelle Knipp, the Sports Director, spots positive shifts. She trusts Coach Florian Kästner to lead Jena forward.
Jena has one of the youngest teams in the league. Players average 23.02 years old. Coach Kästner is just 27, the youngest in the league. The club runs on a small budget. They push to match bigger pro teams.
This season feels harder than the last, says Knipp. Two teams fight relegation. Strong clubs with more money make it tough. Jena scored only 12 goals in 14 games. Their attack needs work.
Knipp sees small steps forward in play. The team changed tactics for better ball control and chances. They still find it hard to score from those chances.
Youth is key to their plan, says Knipp. They want to bring in young players from their own academy. But they had to get some from other clubs because homegrown talent dropped.
Kästner now has his Pro-License. Knipp feels good about the team's direction. His time away for training hurt morale. Now he can give full focus to Jena.
Knipp wants to keep working with Kästner next season. No reason to stop now. They talk about plans for the women's team too. It matters for club growth.
Many Jena players have day jobs besides football. This makes things tricky. Knipp says better league rules and help from the DFB could fix this later.
Some games got canceled. The team went weeks without real matches. They did internal tests to stay sharp. Next up is a big game against Union Berlin.
Lara Schenk and Olivia Alcaide joined lately. They bring experience from abroad and strong leadership. Knipp says they will help the young squad grow.
A key game against HSV comes soon. Knipp hopes it boosts the women's team in the club and town. She wants a big crowd and a fun event for Jena.
