Oh – The legend is alive! And she stays! FCE captain Martin Männel (34) has extended his contract, which expires in June, by another year. The 34-year-old will now stay until at least June 30, 2024 FC Erzgebirge Aue received as a player. An important sign in the relegation battle and the very important home game tomorrow evening against Mannheim.
FCE captain Martin Männel (34) will fly through the Auer box until at least June 2024. FC Erzgebirge Aue is currently unthinkable without Männel. © picture point/Sven Sonntag
The keeper is currently in 447 competitive games for the FCE. Another 55 point games could be added, plus some cup games. If he remains injury-free, it would be more than 500 matches for one and the same club at the end of the current contract – who can say that about themselves these days?
“It shouldn’t be such a big surprise that I’ll be hanging on for another year,” says Männel about his signature: “I was happy when the club in the form of ‘Matze’ Heidrich (45) and Pavel Dotchev (57) looked to me We spoke briefly and then the matter was settled.”
It was important to sports director Heidrich and coach Dotchev to go public with this message at the press conference on Wednesday before the game against Waldhof.
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“Martin has here with us in the Ore Mountains an unbelievable standing. And with the contract extension until June 2024, he is sending another clear signal that makes us very happy and very proud at the same time,” said Heidrich.
Aue coach Pavel Dotchev (57) is happy that Martin Männel is still in the box. © picture point/Sven Sonntag
Dotchev made Männel captain during his first engagement in Aue in June 2015: “What Martin has done and achieved for our club and our team over the years with his great footballing skills deserves the utmost respect and cannot be valued and appreciated highly enough It’s great that we still have Martin with us,” said the 57-year-old.
The fact that Männel can then complete his 16th season for the violets in the 3rd division still requires some work in the fight to stay up in the league.
On Friday against Mannheim there is an opportunity to get the next three points. “We have to do our homework. There’s still a long way to go,” he says.