Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Eugen Polanski discusses Roland Virkus, Florian Neuhaus, family life, and ‘ash-pitches’ | OneFootball

To say that it’s been a hectic week for Borussia Mönchengladbach interim head coach Eugen Polanski is a gross understatement. There was much more to deal with than the insanity that was Gladbach’s 4-6 home defeat against Eintracht Frankfurt in last Saturday evening’s Bundesliga “Top-Spiel”. Three days later, the 39-year-old surely felt more out-of-place after news broke that the man who hired him would be leaving the club.

BMG sporting director Roland Virkus once again expressed full support for Polanski following last Saturday’s result, then proceeded to resign on Tuesday. Polanski answered questions about Virkus’ departure for the first time at his Friday pre-match press conference, revealing that Virkus discussed the decision with him personally beforehand.

Polanski proved himself to be a true child of Germany’s coal-mining Ruhrgebiet. The grassless dirt pitches on which the young and unglamorous football aspirants train are referred to as “Ascheplätze” (ash-fields). Virkus once taught Polanski the game of football on the notorious hard and unforgiving grounds.

“I didn’t expect it at all because it came without warning,” Polanski said. “When the moment came, I had no words. He [Virkus] trained me on the [Ruhrgebiet] dirt-pitches [when I was just a small boy.] I wouldn’t be in this situation without him.”

Polanski’s personnel decisions nevertheless still reflect a post-Virkus Era. The player who found himself a BMG pariah due to drunken insults directed at Virkus over the summer may be in line for his first Bundesliga start of the current campaign this weekend.

Polanski turned to Florian Neuhaus as part of a 38th-minute tactical re-format after matters began falling apart against Frankfurt last week. Speaking highly of Neuhaus, Polanski made clear that the former German international could play from the beginning against Freiburg this time.

“I have to admit that Flo played a very good game,” Polanski remarked on Friday. “He was involved in a lot of the [positive] action in the second half. He’s also been training well so, yes, there’s a chance that he will start.“

Despite all the pressure, tumult, and change enveloping Polanski and his club, there was a lighter, sweeter, and more humorous moment at the Friday presser. One reporter asked how Polanski’s family life was holding up amid everything.

“Yeah, I have a large support system that I don’t see much,” Polanski answered with a sly smile. “Naturally, there’s plenty of support. Family is very important to me, even when there’s only time for a short hug and brief words-of-encouragement when I leave the house in the morning or a short ‘good-night’ in the evening.

“My younger son is really into it,” Polanski continued. “He wants to know about my lineup and always has questions that I seek to answer honestly. But one has to be careful about what one reveals as he’s in school and has friends who want to know about it too.

“They [my family] also support me in the stadium,” Polanski concluded. “I’ll try to make it home as soon as possible after today’s press conference, but they understand the job that daddy has to do at the moment. They get what’s going on from a footballing perspective.”

GGFN | Peter Weis