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Bielefeld (dpa) - Frank Kramer had to do without the warm welcome that potential rescuers normally get when they arrive at the new club, not only for corona reasons.

Arminia Bielefeld's new coach met with great skepticism from fans when he took office at the Bundesliga club.

Despite the so far modest record of the 48-year-old in professional football, it is only partially directed against him.

The reason for the fan frustration is rather the anger about the leave of absence of the popular promotion coach Uwe Neuhaus, which is incomprehensible to many.

That's why Kramer didn't seem frustrated or piqued when he introduced him.

The outrage is “ultimately based on a change for which I am not responsible.

I take note of this and respect the reactions, "said the native of Allgäu:" I will try to steer it in the right direction through hard work.

And I am a thousand percent sure that we will gain acceptance. "

On the other hand, the managing directors Samir Arabi and Markus Rejek, who were sitting next to him on the podium, looked quite battered after difficult hours.

It was clear to them beforehand that separating from Neuhaus, which had been decided internally at the end of the season, would be an unpopular decision.

Apparently they hadn't expected such a force of indignation.

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Officially, both expressed their “full understanding” for the reactions of the fans.

«But we make our decisions to the best of our knowledge and belief in the interests of the club.

And not for any opinions in forums or on the net, »said Arabi.

Rejek emphasized that the decision against Neuhaus was made unanimously.

"We know that it is a brave step," he said: "But if we no longer had the courage to make important decisions for the club, we would no longer perform our tasks and would no longer be the right people."

Kramer begins with two home games against Union Berlin and Werder Bremen, with which the currently ranked 16th player can work his way up to a non-relegation place.

Emotionally, they currently seem more danger than opportunity.

If Kramer does not immediately record successes, the grumbling gets even louder.

If he scores points, the general opinion will be that Neuhaus would have made it too.

But that didn't stop Arabi from getting Kramer, who had long been chosen as the new coach for July 1st, earlier.

He is not afraid that Kramer could be permanently damaged by relegation and that it will be even more difficult to convey as a long-term project to develop into a training club with the experienced young coach.

«If we were afraid of that, we would have it on 1.7.

had to leave and would have brought in a fireman now, ”he said.

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Kramer is definitely “the ideal solution”.

Already in December 2018 he wanted to get the former coach of SpVgg Greuther Fürth and Fortuna Düsseldorf, Arabi revealed.

At that time it didn't work because Kramer couldn't get out of the contract with the German Football Association.

In December, when Kramer, who last worked as a junior manager at RB Salzburg, was on the market, the decisive contact was made.

It had been explored "whether it is conceivable for both sides," said Kramer.

Since then, he has followed the Arminia games closely and made notes.

However, he did not have any influence on winter access.

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210302-99-659081 / 2

Message from Arminia Bielefeld on the separation from Neuhaus

Message from Arminia Bielefeld to Frank Kramer