The Oberliga Niederrhein isn’t going too well for Wuppertaler SV. Of course, after voluntary administration and forcible relegation from the 4th division Regionalliga West last season, this was supposed to be a rebuilding year. Basically, a completely new squad had to be put together, and several “security” related issues kept cropping up. (Most of the other clubs have expressed fear of uncontrolled WSV hooligans running rampant, although I don’t believe that there has been a single incident this season. But in any case, away matches are constantly getting postponed and rescheduled).

Overall, the team started mediocre, then started winning, coming close to 1st, but has since started to slide again. WSV was eliminated in the regional Cup, so no qualification for the DFB rounds. This one was perhaps a lack of luck, and then a loss on penalties. But it was followed by embarassing losses like 1-5 at home to SV Hönnepel-Niedermörmter, and this weekend a 1-3 loss to Baumberg.

As a result, coach Peter Radojewski was fired. This was his 3rd time with Wuppertal, always ending in similar circumstances. Of course, it’s not so clear that it’s completely his fault, because the squad is new and has only moderate talent. And according to club leadership, the only goal this season was to start straightening out the finances, and perhaps contend for promotion next season. But the recent lame performances (which include a 1-6 home loss to Rot-Weiss Oberhausen II, *after* actually beating Rot-Weiss Oberhausen I in the Cup) apparently were too much to take for ex-WSV player Achim Weber, now the Sportdirektor.

Maybe I should have held off on the “favorite club” poll…