After a successful 2016-17 where the club returned to European competition for the first time in 20 years. Everything that could go wrong did in 17/18 and the Billy Goats found themselves 18th and set for life in the second division after a four season stay in the Bundesliga.
Knowing that a season playing in Europe was to happen after finishing fifth the previous campaign would be a tall ask for a club like FC Koln that in the last two decades had been the example of a yo-yo club. Fact is that the previous two seasons star Anthony Modeste scored 40 league goals with 25 in the most recent season. His massive transfer to China left a gaping hole in the team that would be difficult to make up for any club.
His replacement, Jhon Cordoba, was brought in on big money and quickly was found not to be his predecessor’s equal in any way. Add insult to injury, excuse the pun, and just that Cordoba due to the injury bug that strangled the entire squad for most of the season the player saw less than 1000 minutes of on field action throughout the entire season.
The fact was that the Billy Goats did not earn a point until matchday five. Their first victory came in matchday 17. The previously unassailable defense of Koln, constructed by manager Peter Stoger, was leaking goals and the pieces were not coming together. His exit in December had yielded three points in 14 matches and the sporting director also getting the ax, though earlier in the hinrunde.
With impending doom coming the FC Koln board decided that their interim coach turn permanent coach Stefan Ruthenbeck would not be the man they wanted going forward and so they found their man who will take over for their impending campaign and so the next Koln manager, Markus Anfang, will be coming off a season where he nearly earned a second consecutive promotion into the Bundesliga.
The best feel good moment of the season was when multiple members of the squad, in a sign of solidarity with the club, signed on to see out the next season in the second division to get the club to return.
Fact the players know that the club is a great place to play and an immediate return will cement themselves as club legends. The players are national team member Jonas Hector, Timo Horn, Matthias Lehmann to name a few.
Good bye Billy Goats, here’s hoping that the club returns immediately.
