“We messed up the start.” Thomas Kösling describes his team’s start to the new season of the European League of Football (ELF) so soberly and yet honestly was.

Two defeats at the beginning speak for themselves, even if Kösling, the team's head coach, has explanations for both.

Jan Erhardt

sports editor.

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But the fact is that you cannot change the course of the past even with the best explanations, and that is why Kösling, in an interview with the FAZ, very quickly did what he always does when he has to cope with setbacks: wipe your mouth, check off , keep going.

"Our tendency is clearly upwards, we are slowly getting on track," said the Galaxy coach as verbal proof, although he can now also let his actions speak for themselves without hesitation: Two defeats against Rhein Fire and this year's title favorites Vienna Vikings Frankfurt finally followed two victories, once against the Panthers Wrocław from Poland and most recently against the Cologne Centurions.

Reece Horn brings NFL experience

So what do you think of this start to the new, second season in the ELF?

Just went well, one could say, somewhere between top and flop.

Kösling is confident that he and his team will get more and more of the initial problems under control.

The "too much" pressure for some of his players - explanation for defeat number.

one - has now been shaken off, injury worries and lack of rhythm - explanation for defeat number two - at least partially shelved.

Although the list of absentees remains long, pillars like Sebastian Gauthier, Lars Hampel and Gennadiy Adams are even out for the rest of the season, but quarterback Jakeb Sullivan, who missed a game himself with a rib injury, is getting better and better.

With the NFL-experienced wide receiver Reece Horn, who Galaxy introduced this Monday, Sullivan also gets a new pass station, from which those responsible in Frankfurt have great expectations.

And now?

Galaxy is second in the Central Conference with two wins and two losses;

next Sunday (3:00 p.m.) a win in the “absolutely top game” (Kösling) against the Raiders Tirol in Innsbruck would at least distance them from their group rivals.

However, and that is more important, the other group rivals remain, and this is exactly what will be important in the further course of the season, continues to rush: The Vikings from Vienna, who have just joined the ELF this year, are lonely with four wins from four games Your circles and not only Kösling should ask themselves how he and his team should get there against this Austrian superiority in the fight for the play-offs.

Another defeat, that much is certain, the Frankfurters will hardly be able to afford in the closely fought league.

After all, their goal is to defend their title.