For sports director Fredi Bobic (r.), the new coach Felix Magath could also be the last chance in Berlin.
Photo: imago images/Matthias Koch
The new start at Hertha BSC has a name that is well known in the Bundesliga. Felix Magath sat on the podium in the media room on Monday. The first words when introducing the new coach belonged to Fredi Bobic, the man who had fired Tayfun Korkut the day before and then signed Magath to succeed him. “Thank you Felix for taking on this difficult task,” said the sports director. There should be no question that the second change of coach at the Berliners this season might also be the last chance for Bobic himself. He is happy to ask any questions about his own responsibility after the 34th matchday.
Magath can and wants to go into the fight for relegation unencumbered. What was before and led to the crash of the Berliners to a relegation zone? “That’s not important now,” said the 68-year-old. All the disturbing background noise with the recent departure of sports director Arne Friedrich and the threatening permanent dispute between the club and investor Lars Windhorst interest him just as little. It doesn’t matter what happened here. “Now the upcoming game against Hoffenheim is all that counts.”
The only retrospective criticism formulated by Magath level-headed. The appearance of the team seemed a bit uncoordinated. The fact that Hertha BSC is much more in trouble seems to have come to the attention of the new coach. Otherwise, when he called for “broad support” for the association, would he have – suddenly with much pathos – also asked for help from “the whole city of Berlin”? A descent is never nice. For the old lady from the capital, however, it could have dramatic consequences. Lars Windhorst had already announced a power struggle for the general meeting in May last week. The investor has pumped 375 million euros into the club since the summer of 2019. “The money’s gone,” Bobic declared at the end of February. Windhorst has always complained about the lack of a say, and his anger about the current negative development is not far greater. In what form and over whom he is now trying to exert more influence can only be speculated about. When asked about the coaching decision on Monday, Fredi Bobic expressly did not deny the fact itself: “I had to make a lot of phone calls.”
How important it is in this situation to focus completely on the sport, stressed the new coach and the head of sport in equal measure. Magath could well be the right man for that. Bobic described his suitability as follows: “a strong personality with a lot of experience”. He leads a team “with a hard hand”. The word “discipline” was mentioned several times. Magath himself sees the task as “tailor-made” for himself. He referred to his skills as a “fireman”. Six years ago he saved Shandong Luneng from relegation at his last coaching station in China. He had previously done so in the Bundesliga with Hamburger SV, VfB Stuttgart, VfL Wolfsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt.
Magath pointed out on Monday that it was not about people, but about Hertha BSC. However, he does not do it entirely unselfishly. You could see how happy he was to return to the Bundesliga after almost ten years. He had positioned himself for this less than a month ago. In the specialist magazine »kicker«, for example, one could read: »I have experienced everything and have a wealth of experience like no other. I know how football works because I’ve played in all leagues, worked in different positions and clubs. I know what I can do – and that I’m still able to help professional clubs.« In Berlin, the three-time champion coach now has the unexpected opportunity to prove his skills again in the Bundesliga. If he manages to stay up with Hertha BSC in the eight remaining games, he’ll be back in business. This is how the trainer market works.
A last chance could be the change of coach for Fredi Bobic. It is unlikely that he will be allowed to stay in the event of relegation. As often as he points to the mistakes of the past that would still haunt the club and team – his own record at Hertha BSC since last June is just as unsuccessful. His player sales and signings haven’t made the team any better. A complete blunder was coach Tayfun Korkut, who in 13 games could get only nine out of a possible 39 points. And he doesn’t make the bad mood within the team any better with public statements like this: “The players have realized that they are the problem.” Bobic wanted to save his coach Korkut at the beginning of March, now Magath has to save him and Hertha. It won’t be easy.
