Erik Biedenkapp and the regional football league team FC Wangen are inseparable. The head of defence has been playing for the traditional club from the Allgäu for ages. Along with goalkeeper Marcel Maier (26), Jan Gleinser (26), Okan Housein (32) and Simon Wetzel (31), he is one of the older players in the Allgäu team. Before the start of the season, the 26-year-old answered questions from the “Schwäbische Zeitung”. In an interview with Giuseppe Torremante, Biedenkapp emphasised that the qualifying round will be a major challenge.

Mr. Biedenkapp, how did the preparation for the new football season go?

The sessions were consistently good. We had to integrate a lot of new players. Everything went very well and we have competition in various positions. We welcomed the new players with open arms. What I can already say is that the quality of training has increased significantly. There are a lot of strong footballers involved. This benefits our style of play with a lot of ball possession.

What is the mood like in the team and how are you and your teammates approaching the qualifying round?

We are very confident after the second half of last season and reaching the promotion play-off place. The mood is good and we have our sights firmly set on our sporting goal of promotion to the association league. But that won’t be an easy task. We have to score points from the start. Our opponents are strong. The first four places guarantee us participation in the promotion round. After that, all qualified teams start from scratch. That’s why we have to be focused from the start and not let ourselves get into any trouble. There are only ten games in the qualification round in which we can score points. Every defeat really hurts. A draw is almost like a defeat.

How strong is the qualifying round south?

Very strong. There are hardly any weak teams. All teams want to reach the promotion round, because the relegation round is almost even more difficult with 50 percent of teams being relegated. I count Weiler, Biberach, Ravensburg II and Heimenkirch among our toughest competitors for the top four places. I don’t see any of the other teams as being so strong, but they are still extremely dangerous.

What has changed in the team thanks to Joachim Baur, FC Wangen’s coach since the beginning of the year?

The coaching team is doing a good job for us. Our head coach places great value on fitness and accurate passing. He directs us from the outside very professionally, always positively, and that gives us the energy we need on the pitch to do the right thing. It doesn’t always work because the opponent has to play along too, but very often it is the case. No team can always put in a top performance in every game. Weak moments are certainly possible. However, these moments should only last for a short time. He expects us to invest a lot in every game and to put in more energy in every match than the opponent. He has brought a different, more positive energy to the team. We are all grateful to him for that.

Okan Housein and Simon Wetzel are two players who make the difference at FC Wangen. But they are not getting any younger. Shouldn’t the team learn to see such footballers as a bonus and make the important decisions themselves?

Okan Housein and Simon Wetzel have done an incredible amount for FC Wangen. We cannot currently replace either of them one-to-one. But that must be our goal in the future, because they are indeed not getting any younger. Nevertheless, our game has a different quality with these exceptional footballers. I hope that both of them will be available to us again soon, because they will help the team to be successful in the difficult qualifying round.

FC Wangen plays both derbies against Heimenkirch and Weiler away. Is that a disadvantage?

I don’t see it that way. Derbies are about emotions and that is the most important thing, along with the points that every team wants to get. Lots of spectators, 90 minutes of high-energy football and spectators on the sidelines who are excited. What more could a footballer want? It doesn’t really matter where the derby takes place.