A little over a year ago, in the summer of 2021, skepticism was not only felt among the "Lilien" fans.

Phillip who?

Aha, scored a few goals at SV Wehen Wiesbaden in the third division.

And should he follow in the footsteps of Serdar Dursun, who left for Fenerbahce Istanbul after scoring an enormous 27 second division goals?

The transfer notification from SV Darmstadt 98 also spoke of restraint. There was talk of a “young striker with good abilities” who “will do the team good”.

But the constant upward trend of the SVD since then cannot be explained without the important contribution of Phillip Tietz.

Since arriving as a relatively unknown slate in the second division, he has developed into one of the best forwards in the league.

Not only has he not missed a single competitive game for the “Lilien” since the summer of last year, his offensive power, which is always linked to his work ethic and team spirit, can also be easily seen in the numbers: after 15 goals and nine assists in the last round, there are still more nine matchdays five goals again.

There has been no talk of Dursun since Tietz's arrival at the Böllenfall Gate.

Because the 1.90 meter tall native of Lower Saxony works and scores in every attacking formation that head coach Torsten Lieberknecht devised.

Whether in the previous season as a classic strike duo with two tall athletes - alongside Luca Pfeiffer (now employed by VfB Stuttgart).

Or, as is currently the case, as a solitaire at the top, flanked by the agile Wuseler Braydon Manu (three goals this season).

"In the current tactical orientation, I'm the only big one up front who throws himself into aerial duels," says Tietz.

“In addition, Braydon runs back and forth a lot and his dynamics can hardly be stopped.

That makes us more unpredictable for the opponents.”

And hard to beat!

After the opening defeat in Regensburg, when the southern Hessians had to play outnumbered for a long time, they have been unbeaten for nine competitive games, including progressing to the DFB Cup.

Third place after about a quarter of the season is the well-deserved reward for a team that works for itself and has to be counted among the prospects for promotion.

Tietz now has the feeling of being part of a well-versed, “adult team”, as he puts it.

"Everyone knows what the other can do and that the other will walk for you."

Also because he hires himself out as a constant offensive source of danger and often wears down with a big fighting heart, but without losing calm and precision at the end.

Especially since the 25-year-old does not score his goals according to a specific pattern.

Most recently, he has scored a header from a set piece, a header from a cross, a long-range shot and as a quick-witted thief.

His style of play, characterized by an all-or-not-at-all mentality, is captivating for both players and audience.

His Darmstadt career booster is said to have brought him close to the Bundesliga in the summer - clubs like 1. FC Köln are said to have dealt with a transfer of the attacker, who was contractually bound to SVD until mid-2024.

But you can still imagine Tietz as a happy Darmstadt employee.

"Last year I was amazed by that, but most of the boys feel the same as me," says Tietz.

“I go to training every morning with a smile on my face and I want to see the boys.

We don't form groups in the dressing room, everyone talks to everyone else.

And the coach manages to take everyone with him.” The coach Lieberknecht, who watched the neighbor boy Tietz play football in the street in Braunschweig – and then helped to push his professional career decisively at Eintracht.

After the international break, this Friday (6.30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the 2nd Bundesliga and on Sky) the “Lilien” continue against the well-placed Paderborn team (away) and the following weekend against the Düsseldorf team (at home).

The coaches there will warn their teams: against goalscorer Tietz.