Yes, I’ve also seen tears at a press conference. The last time was on May 18, eight years ago, when Bundesliga“>Jupp Heynckes returned to Gladbach with Bayern, the fans of both camps celebrated him for what was supposedly the last Bundesliga game of his career and the coaching legend then wept with emotion in front of us journalists. At that time we spontaneously applauded – which is totally unusual at such a normally very technocratic event – to express our respect for “Don Jupp”.
Photo: Private
” data-zoom-src=”https://bilder.bild.de/fotos/max-eberl-l–und-bild-reporter-christian-hornung-bei-einer-interview-49cb8fac5aab4cacaed627b06fe45da7-78976074/Bild/3 .picture.jpg”/> Max Eberl (left) and BILD reporter Christian Hornung during an interviewPhoto: Private
Now Max Eberl was crying. Multiple. Before he could even utter the first sentence about his impending departure, the tears stopped his voice. That was also oppressive for us reporters in the press room. And also sad. I’ve personally known Eberl for more than two decades and was already a reporter when he was still playing. When he was sporting director, we respected each other a lot, at least that’s how I feel. There were phases in which I criticized him very harshly, that’s part of my job at BILD. He was always mad at me when I blamed him for making a bad purchase, dismissing the coach too late, there were many reasons. But he was never angry for long, we always got along quickly, could look into each other’s eyes, worked together respectfully, even when we reported three years ago about the separation from his wife and most recently about his new love.
That’s why, when I cried, when he explained his departure, and when I appealed to the media and social networks, I thought reflexively: boy, what did you contribute to it yourself?
Eberl also names things that we interpreted into his departure and portrays them as wrong. That’s okay, I have to live with that, I accept his criticism just as I have asked him over the years that he also be a part of mine of business accepted.
Of course I had called him the day before. I wanted to give him the opportunity to comment after we had already received information about his forthcoming termination of contract on Thursday afternoon. However, he and his press spokesman did not want to comment, but rather wait for this press conference. I stand by it: It’s perfectly clear that frustration and hurt pride also contributed to his exhaustion last year. And of course he didn’t mean his sentence: “There is no love”. There is even great love! And it was nice to see that his partner Sedrina Schaller was by his side after this incredibly difficult hour when Eberl left Borussia Park on Friday afternoon.
As sad as this press conference was, you can now be happy with him: He may have given up his beloved job, he’s leaving his beloved club – but he’s freed from this incredible pressure that has recently made him thin-skinned, surly, dissatisfied and sometimes unfair to those around him. Personally, I take home the feeling that in the future I will listen even more closely and look before I judge a process. And pay Max Eberl the utmost respect for his decision.
