Hertha BSC will enter the next second-division season with coach Stefan Leitl. Managing director Peter Görlich defended the early job guarantee for the coach, which had drawn criticism from fans after the 1-6 debacle at Arminia Bielefeld on the final matchday. “I would make the same decision again,” the 59-year-old said in a media round.
Görlich is banking on continuity to further develop the team. “We assume that a structural sharpness will come into the overall structure. For that, we need a certain degree of planning security,” he explained. At the same time, he admitted: “It is absolutely clear that a performance like the one after the 46th minute in Bielefeld is unacceptable.”
Sports director Benjamin Weber pointed to the difficult starting position after relegation three years ago. “People forget where we stood three years ago after relegation,” Weber said. At that time, Hertha only narrowly received its license and was severely restricted in player recruitment – a situation that persists to this day. “We will lose quality,” Görlich predicted.
Players such as Kennet Eichhorn, Tjark Ernst, and captain Fabian Reese have attracted interest from other clubs. Hertha must generate transfer revenue before new players can be signed. Given the tight financial situation, new signings must be spot on, which has not always been the case in recent years.
To avoid mistakes, the club has revamped its scouting. With Basti Huber, a key man has been brought in, according to Görlich: “We look for profiles, not positions.” As early as early March, Görlich, staff, and coaches from the academy held a two-day retreat to analyze the season. Availability in certain positions and behavior at set pieces were identified as the main problems.
“We were always playing catch-up. We can keep up with top teams, but not consistently,” Weber summed up. The weakness at home was another shortcoming. The goal of promotion to the Bundesliga was clearly missed.
Source: www.tagesspiegel.de
