Ragnar Ache played himself into the spotlight with his brace in FC Koln’s crucial 2-1 home win over FSV Mainz 05, firmly underlining his value in attack.
Head coach Lukas Kwasniok revealed that he had seriously considered starting Ache again but ultimately decided to rest him because of the heavy schedule and the fact that the striker had already been in the starting XI twice within a week.
Kwasniok stressed how much the forward invests on a daily basis and how often that work goes unnoticed in public perception. “I’m extremely happy for him because he works very, very hard here,” he said, before pointing out that this kind of effort usually disappears in the glare of the spotlight, where only goals or missed chances tend to be discussed.
The coach highlighted Aches consistency, explaining that “What he has been doing week after week since he arrived has now led him to score twice in the Bundesliga,”
Kwasniok rounded off his praise with the words “Congratulations to him, he helped us today,” and left the impression that Ache has secured a place in Kölns best XI.
However, given the coach’s reputation for extensive rotation, it remains open how unconditional a regular starting spot for Ache will be, especially when future workload management comes into play.
