"Laughing and crying eye" at Jahn after respectable draw in Cologne

Andreas Patz was relegated with Jahn Regensburg, but the draw in Cologne still provided the coach with a small dose of satisfaction. IMAGO/DeFodi Images

Why isn't this more often? A question that everyone involved in Regensburg probably asked themselves after the draw with 1. FC Köln . The 1-1 draw, in which Jahn Regensburg performed more than respectably, means that SSV is relegated.

Even a win would have merely postponed relegation. Münster's thunderous 5-0 victory over Magdeburg on Friday would have required Regensburg not only to win every game, but also to make up a 41-goal difference.

Regensburg's main problem this season has been their weakness away from home. In Cologne, the Upper Palatinate team picked up only their second (!) point ever, while still sitting at a respectable 12th place in the home table . "If you look at our home games in the second half of the season, we only lost against Hannover. You have to ask yourself what we were always doing away from home," said Christian Kühlwetter on Sky . "We conceded five goals against Ulm, lost an important game against Münster, and suffered a thrashing against Elversberg. There were too many games where we completely lost our way."

Florian Ballas reflected that, in the early stages, they often didn't have that "bit of luck" away from home. And "the more games we lost away from home, the lower our heads sank – and when you're that low in the table, it's hard to get out of that rut."

If the opposing team is booed in your own stadium, you haven't done too much wrong.

Jahn's logical disappointment was limited shortly after the final whistle, however. After all, relegation was foreseeable. "I think if you go into this as a clear underdog, end up with a point—especially after yesterday's blow with the result in Münster—and put up such a fight, then you can be proud," Kühlwetter said, describing his emotional state.

Jahn coach Andreas Patz also had a "smile and a tear in his eye." The certainty of relegation "does hurt, but of course we're also happy that we performed so well here today." The plan for the final games had been to "give it our all and say goodbye with a distance," Ballas explained. "I think we did that today. If the opposing team gets booed in their own stadium, you haven't done too much wrong."

All three players expressed their gratitude to the fans, who have traveled with them in large numbers throughout the season, especially away from home, and who have had to witness the many disastrous results. "We wanted to give something back, and we managed that to some extent today," said Patz, who now has two more games on the Jahn sidelines. For now.

At the same time, Patz also hinted that there is a good chance that he will be Jahn's coach in the coming third division season.