Steffen Baumgart recently gave an insight into a game day as off-duty head coach. In any case, the clip was a click event on the Internet: The Cologne coach, who was infected with Corona, cursed and screamed and raged through the living room at home during a game for his team. Other family members watched, snuggled up in blankets; the family dog jumped into his master’s back when it got too loud, and he didn’t seem to care. Showtime at Baumgarts on the sofa!
In the case of Torsten Lieberknecht, head coach of SV Darmstadt 98, who was also infected with corona, a (hidden) camera would not have produced an internet hit on Sunday. Rather, proof of the pitfalls that digital communication can hold in store, even in the age of the internet. Lieberknecht’s Sky broadcast at home was about two minutes behind the live events in Hanover. His assistant Ovid Hajou, also sentenced to television at home because of Covid, was on the same level as the events. And connected to Lieberknecht by telephone via dedicated line. “In the end I was glad Ovid didn’t scream anymore. Because that meant that not much happened and we got a point,” said Lieberknecht on Monday, connected via video conference from isolation.
During the game and the half-time break, the two who stayed at home only had brief contact with their deputy Kai Peter Schmitz, who is primarily responsible for analyzing opponents on the coaching staff. Lieberknecht’s policy competence applied to the change options discussed in advance. In addition, the colleagues in Hanover (final score 2:2) should “be able to work in peace”, says Lieberknecht. Personally, according to the Palatinate, “I don’t need something like that again”. He laughed and added, “Sometimes it was so exciting that I was about to switch to Netflix.”
boredom at home
Then the “Lilien” coach would have missed a lively second division game between two attacking-oriented teams, which also revealed that the Darmstadt team – measured by the previous performances in this round – are currently struggling on the pitch. The lightness and naturalness in certain situations and actions as well as in interaction has been lost. Both of their goals – a Hanoverian own goal (18th minute) and a headed goal by the strengthened Aaron Seydel (61st) – came from standard situations. The “lilies” showed themselves again vulnerable in opposing standard situations when they hit the 1:2 deficit in the meantime (50). With a counterattack that was too weakly defended to make it 1-1 (35th), the southern Hessians spoiled their previously best phase of the game.
In view of the “history and the conditions”, Lieberknecht spoke of a “really good, important point” that the Darmstadt team secured away. The 48-year-old, although sitting alone in his Darmstadt apartment (his family is not yet at home in southern Hesse), felt the eyes of his opponents in the promotion battle directed at the “lilies”. “Many will have expected a defeat from us,” said Lieberknecht, who, although he says he has been vaccinated three times, is now going through his second corona infection.
He’s struggling a little with coughs and colds and even more with boredom. That’s why he often picks up the guitar, he said. “So far, no neighbor has complained – but no one has applauded either.” Lieberknecht would be sure of the applause of the around 7,000 admitted spectators at Böllenfalltor this Sunday if he could return to his workplace. At best, his isolation will end on Saturday so that he could take care of the team against Hansa Rostock again the next day.
