Lewandowski sets out stall for Leverkusen recovery
Leverkusen - There was something of a flashback when new Bayer 04 Leverkusen interim head coach Sascha Lewandowski entered the BayArena's media room on Monday.
'Positive emotion'
The 42-year-old is a familiar face at the Rhineland club, having stepped up to the plate two years ago in a co-coaching capacity, and is now set to do it all again, albeit on a temporary basis, following Sami Hyypia's dismissal last weekend.
"We're going to have to turn a few screws to get results as quickly as possible," Lewandowski affirmed with a view to helping Leverkusen break back into the top four and secure a place in next season's UEFA Champions League qualifying round. "We can't just carry on the way things are."
To help bring about a swift turnaround in fortunes for a Leverkusen side that have won only once in their last nine Bundesliga outings, Lewandowski has recruited former Alemannia Aachen coach Peter Hyballa as his assistant. "I was looking for somebody who can bring in some positive emotion," Lewandowski explained. "That's what we've been lacking recently, and Peter's got that."
'We all have to react'
The pair led their first training session together on Monday with the focus already on how they can effect a positive change at the club. "We've got to increase our tactical flexibility," Lewandowski said. "We need to defend more actively and, overall, refine our organisation."
On Sunday afternoon, the Bundesliga will see whether the duo's ideas have had enough time to sink in when Leverkusen host Hertha Berlin in the first of five games which will determine Bayer's European destiny. "It's a chance for everybody to prove themselves," Lewandowski continued. "We don't have much time, so we all have to react."
