Bochum’s Myron Boadu’s reinstated, start for young talent Mats Pannewig beckons | OneFootball

Shortly after being placed on VfL Bochum’s blacklist for the second time this season, Dutch striker Myron Boadu is back in head coach Dieter Hecking’s good graces. Hecking confirmed Boadu’s reinstatement at a Thursday press conference. The 24-year-old is even a candidate to start in this weekend’s Bundesliga fixture against SV Werder Bremen.

Hecking will certainly be hoping that Boadu will respond in the same manner as the last time the attacker was struck from the squad. Boadu came off the bench to score a “flawless hat trick” against RB Leipzig on matchday 18 after his last rehabilitation. The player himself commented on the matter midweek when speaking to the Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung.

“I’m a player who always wants to play and wants to help the team,” Boadu told the WAZ. “I told the coach that I need to control myself better. Now it’s a new week, I’ve spoken to him, and we’ve cleared up the issues.”

Hecking was also quoted in the WAZ article, saying that Boadu was “understanding” after a private conversation. The VfL head coach credited the AS Monaco loanee for being and “emotional and driven“.

“Myron is of course a candidate for the starting XI,” Hecking added at the press conference. “We talked things through. Myron is a good guy whose heart is in the right place. He just gets in his own way at times. As his coach, it’s my job to help him with that. Now he’s good and ready to get stuck in.”

Without or without Boadu, Hecking’s team faces serious challenges as they head north to take on SV Werder Bremen. Relegation threatened Bochum have lost four in a row while the team they’ve historically performed very badly against ride high on a three-match-winning-streak.

Hecking must contend with the losses of both midfield strategist Matus Bero and defensive linchpin Ivan Ordets, both of whom are suspended. Hecking listed Jakov Medic and Erhan Masovic as potential replacements for Ordets.

Squad captain Anthony Losilla could work in Bero’s place in midfield, as could the more offensive-minded Dani de Wit. The hot name nevertheless trending in German footballing circles is 20-year-old German professional Mats Pannewig.

The long-time Bochum prospect attracted a lot of attention when he came off the bench late against Augsburg last week, producing three scoring chances despite the fact that he only came on in the 87th minute.

Pannewig earned special praise from his coach, not to mention a full length feature article in Kicker. Hecking spoke on Pannewig’s starting prospects at the presser.

“I’m very happy with Mats’ development in recent weeks,” Hecking said. “As a footballer, you can already see that he can handle the ball. Now he’s added dynamism and, above all, he’s improved in defensive duels.

“He had our only chance against Stuttgart,” Hecking continued. “Against Augsburg, he was close to scoring in at least two situations. That’s also something I think can help us in the final stretch of the season.“

Like another breakout performer in the Bochum-Augsburg match, Pannewig has only started once in the Bundesliga before. Pannewig’s campaign mirrors that of Augsburg’s Mert Kömür. He too was yanked at the half in his only ever top flight start this season, but is definitely on the up now.

GGFN | Peter Weis