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A small town of 50,000 souls in Baden-Württemberg, Heidenheim an der Brenz is experiencing a year 2024 that is surprising to say the least. Aside from being the birthplace of Erwin Rommel, a former German officer of the First and Second World Wars known positively for his military genius and especially negatively for his approval of Nazi ideology, Heidenheim saw the birth of something good more rewarding with its football club, 1. FC Heidenheim 1846. Professional for the first time in its history in 2009, this small team gradually moved up the ranks to arrive in the Bundesliga in the summer of 2023. A slow breakthrough in the landscape of German football, but which allowed the club not to skip steps with 5 seasons in the third division and 9 seasons in the second division. A success that bears the stamp of Frank Schmidt.
The success of Frank Schmidt
A 50-year-old German technician who arrived at the club as a player in 2003 when it was still called SB Heidenheimer (the football selection which gave Heidenheim left the association in 2007), he will have transformed the club he took from the fourth division to the first division. A true strong man of the club and focusing on a very vertical game, based on the counter-attack, Frank Schmidt knew how to lower the barriers to lead his team always a little higher. An arrival in the Bundesliga which was highly appreciated in Germany. Football fans appreciated the feat achieved by Little Thumb of the German elite as our colleague from Football Transfers Tobias Feldhoff: “They were happy that a small club without investors achieved this big goal. At the same time, everyone expected them to be directly relegated.”
A real tour de force for Frank Schmidt who once again found the winning formula. Last November, Thomas Tuchel also made a point of emphasizing the importance of the German coach for Heidenheim: “congratulations to Heidenheim in any case for everything Frank has done for 16 years. You can go to Heidenheim to look for the coach in the next few years, you are always in the right place», he continued. Central man of the Heidenheim project and named personality of the season by Kicker, Frank Schmidt knew how to surprise everyone. Not necessarily scheduled to maintain itself so easily, Heidenheim found its momentum on September 1 against Borussia Dortmund with a 2-2 draw. Galvanized by this match, the promoted team quickly found their cruising speed and climbed the rankings over the months to grab an eighth place this Sunday by crushing Cologne 4-1. As a result, a victory for Bayer Leverkusen against Kaiserslautern next Saturday in the German Cup will lead to the promoted European qualification for the Europa Conference League.
Heidenheim’s Fantastic Four
“I didn’t know what the situation was on the other grounds. But of course, it’s just a sensational end to the season. We played an exceptional first half, then we slowed down a bit, but then we finished the game perfectly to take it under control.”, explained Bernhard Raab, the assistant coach after the match. To get where they are, Heindenheim has been able to rely on a quartet that has been instrumental throughout the season. In the midfield, Kevin Sessa (23) established himself as the playing master of the team based at the Voith-Arena. In front of him, a trio wreaked havoc with the fast and impactful wingers with Jan-Niklas Beste (8 goals and 13 assists) and Eren Dinkçi (10 goals and 5 assists) while center forward Tim Kleindienst did havoc (12 goals and 5 offerings).
A clinical attack and sharp offensives which make Heidenheim a formidable team to face. “They have a great coach and a real team. Each player participates in defense and offense. They mainly play on the counterattack, with Dinkçi and Beste being very fast players. But they don’t park the bus, they also play football. The team has been together for many years, so even last summer, with more money, they didn’t sign many players., Tobias Feldhoff explained to us. Veterans, young revengers and a great alchemy which gave us great stories in the great Heidenheim story. And that of Jan-Niklas Beste who was selected with Germany last March is one of the most interesting.
The beautiful story Jan-Niklas Beste
Author of 8 goals and 14 assists in 32 appearances in all competitions, the native of Hamm is one of the strong elements of Frank Schmidt’s squad. Technically skilled and blessed with a burst of speed, the 25-year-old impresses above all with his versatility. A professional fullback, he has shown over the years that he is capable of progressing a notch higher. But what also helps to strengthen its reputation across the Rhine is its precision on set pieces, a sector which the National Mannschaft lacks. “Of course, I’ve been asked a few questions about it, but it’s still absurd to think about it. Six months ago, I was still playing in the second division. I also know how quickly the world of football is evolving.he recently declared during an interview with the German media ZDF about the rumors announcing him in Julian Nagelsmann’s list last March.
Called up, but ultimately forfeited and not selected for the Euro, he nevertheless experienced an unexpected trajectory in a career that was strewn with pitfalls. Originally from Hamm in Westphalia, Jan-Niklas Beste cut his teeth in the youth categories of Borussia Dortmund. Considered an emerging talent, he slowly climbed the ranks to join the German U16 and U18 youth teams before making his first appearance among the BVB pros during a German Cup match in August 2017. Despite Everything, his chances of breaking through with the Marsupials are quickly reduced to nothing to the extent that he soon faces fierce competition for the left-back position, blocked in particular by Raphaël Guerreiro. From then on, the German will head to northern Germany and commit to Werder Bremen. A choice which proved unsuccessful since he did not manage to make his way into the first team. What followed was an inconclusive loan to FC Emmen, at the time a modest Eredivisie outfit with which he began his campaign with a serious knee injury.
It was ultimately in the German second division that Jan-Niklas Beste managed to get his career off the ground. Loaned by Werder to Jahn Regensburg in July 2020, the German continued meetings with the Bundesliga 2 resident and ended up catching the eye of Heidenheim, two seasons later. Poached from Bremen, Jan-Niklas Beste truly changes dimension under the leadership of Frank Schmidt, who does not hesitate to develop the left side into a winger role. Much sharper in his lane, the German is progressing at great speed and earning his stripes as a starter. With 12 goals and 13 assists to his name, he is one of the main architects of the Baden-Württemberg club’s rise to the German elite, a first in the history of the Rouge et Bleu. “Fingers crossed for Jan-Niklas, because it would be something huge for him and his club. I think he deserved it and will serve the German national team well. He has all the virtues they need. It’s a fantastic story that would be a new highlight for our club”, conceded Holger Sanwald, the president of Heidenheim on the sidelines of the summons of his protégé. From Bundesliga 2 to European qualification via the Netherlands, Jan-Niklas Beste is on cloud nine.
Europe in the crosshairs
With a victory for Bayer Leverkusen against Kaiserlsautern this Saturday in the German Cup, Heidenheim would obtain a historic first qualification for a European Cup. Something totally crazy and which doesn’t stop us from having a lot of fervor around the club. In addition to the sympathy that emerges and which pleases the supporters of other elite clubs, Heidenheim is located between Stuttgart and Augsburg in an area without very big clubs nearby. This facilitated the creation of a craze, as Tobias Feldhoff notes: “They have a very active fan scene. If we consider the surrounding big cities like Ulm or Aalen, their clubs have not played in the Bundesliga for a long time. So, even outside, they usually leave with a few thousand fans.”
For next year, Heidenheim’s European qualification will not be seen negatively. Already, because the other club that can achieve this is Kaiserslautern which plays in the second division and which has a team less equipped to play in Europe. Then, because the merit of this season stands out and the other greats missed their season. “They deserve it even if I am sad as a Bremen fan because Werder missed their chance by only two goals. Of course, clubs like Wolfsburg (again), Borussia Mönchengladbach or Union Berlin did not have a good season. But behind the top 6 (Leverkusen, Stuttgart, Bayern, Leipzig, Dortmund and Frankfurt) in Germany, everything was possible. underlined Tobias Feldhoff. With Europe in their sights, Heindenheim will, whatever happens, have had a totally crazy and historic season.
