This is Thioune’s assessment after the first block of the season

The sun was shining on Daniel Thioune on Saturday morning, not just literally, but above all figuratively. “Emotionally, I feel the same as after a win in Ulm, I would say, because I do like to win,” said the coach of second division team Fortuna on the morning after the well-deserved 1-0 victory against Hannover 96. “But if it’s a win that goes hand in hand with a very good performance, the sun shines a little brighter for all of us.”

After the match against the newly promoted team from Swabia, which Thioune referred to in the first part of his statement, the 50-year-old did not really agree with the critical analysis of the largely poor performance, the assessment of which was certainly also influenced by the team’s previous elimination from the DFB Cup in Dresden. The impeccable performance against Hanover from the start seemed all the more impressive – it was exactly the right reaction to the bumps in the past few days and weeks.

That’s why Thioune was right to say: “There’s nothing better than going into an international break with a win.” At least temporarily, they were even top of the table, but several teams had the chance to overtake Fortuna over the course of the weekend. “I know the table situation,” said the coach in front of the rival teams, “but that only counts at the end of the season – and not on the fourth matchday.” He knew at the time that they would definitely go into the two-week break with a top ranking.

And thus also in the phase that ended the first block of the season. “It was very unsettled recently due to the many changes and transfer activities,” emphasised Thioune, “but the way the boys dealt with it was brilliant.” Especially last week, when the four million euro departure of Ao Tanaka to English second division club Leeds United suddenly became apparent; the loss of the third key player after Christos Tzolis and Yannik Engelhardt.

“We started with a really good game in Darmstadt, that was very mature,” the coach summed up in detail afterwards. “Then came a very balanced duel against Karlsruhe, a top team, a weak cup appearance in Dresden, a lucky win in Ulm and now against Hannover the best game of all the elements that football brings with it.” The result was good (as always, except in Dresden), the implementation of the match plan satisfied Thioune – and in general the combative, but also footballing approach gave every Fortuna fan and every neutral spectator a lot of joy.

“We’re still going into the international break with a lot of work to do because we had so many things to work on after the party in Ulm that we couldn’t do everything in a week,” explained Thioune. “But you can see that the boys want to improve things.” If the result is a game like the one against Hannover, then my team has done a lot right in the first block of the season – and very little wrong.” Ten points from four games really speak for themselves.