Baumann speaks on Brooks' defensive lapse: "He needs more of the game in front of him."
Speaking on the fateful misunderstanding that enabled Eintracht Frankfurt to find their way back into a match in which they were trailing, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim keeper Oliver Baumann noted that he still believed in teammate John Anthony Brooks.
A semi-comical scene in yesterday's 1-3 home loss to Eintracht Frankfurt left team trainer Pellegrino Matarazzo announcing that there would be "consequences" for bad defensive lapses in his post-match comments. The American trainer made no secret of the fact that he was referring to the case of fellow American John Anthony Brooks, who blew a marking assignment on Omar Marmoush's 1-1 in the 11th minute.
Brooks was yanked at the half. Matarazzo openly insinuated that he would have probably taken the Berlin-born USMNT international off earlier were it not for the fact that Kevin Vogt - on the mend from a muscular injury - might not have been able to display full fitness as well. TSG keeper Oliver Baumann also commented on the scene.
"He broke off because [his mark on Marmous] he thought I was running through," Baumann explained, "but I turned off because I thought he was running through and had a lead."
"[in our current set-up] He has speed disadvantages," Baumann continued when discussing the state of his teammate, "It becomes extremely difficult for him in man-to-man situations. He needs more of the game in front of him."
"But he helped us out so much last year and this," the TSG net-minder was quick to add, "so that I'm not worried."
Left to depart on a free following the expiration of his deal with Wolfsburg last season, Brooks signed with Benfica and barely saw any action in the Portuguese division during the first half of last year. After returning to German football during the January transfer window, Brooks displayed visible signs of rust and was ultimately benched for two matches following his fourth consecutive poor starting performance.
The 30-year-old nevertheless recovered to regain his form after a short break and proved to be a pivotal performer for die Kraichgauer as they narrowly avoided relegation. The former Hertha academy man with Chicago roots has gotten off to a stellar start thus far in the young 2023/24 campaign, earning largely high marks in most German press sources.