Will coach Adi Hütter extend contract with Eintracht Frankfurt?

Dthree weeks before the start of the competitive game of the new season, the Frankfurt Eintracht is in the screening phase. Coach Adi Hütter has made a pre-selection of 20 field players, he mixes them up again and again in the training units when eleven against eleven is practiced close to a competition. And for the test match this Saturday (6:00 pm) at PSV Eindhoven, the Austrian coach announced: “98 percent of the time we will play with two different teams for 45 minutes each.” Everyone should be able to prove themselves. Each of the 20. This does not apply to Simon Falette, Jetro Willems and Dejan Joveljic, as well as to half a dozen young players who have been awarded a professional contract. You train under the guidance of athletic trainers.

From the loan players who returned, Aymen Barkok (Fortuna Düsseldorf) and Tuta (Kortrijk) survived the first cut. Hütter confirmed that the Eintracht homegrown and the Brazilian had made a good impression, as did the newcomers Steven Zuber, who came in exchange with Mijat Gacinovic from TSG Hoffenheim and Ragnar Ache from Sparta Rotterdam. According to Hütter, Joveljic wasn’t guilty of anything either, but the 21-year-old Serb simply doesn’t have a place in the training team. After Dost, Silva, Paciencia and newcomer Ache, he would be the fifth striker and something like the fifth wheel on the car.

Hütter recommends Joveljic to look for a suitable club on loan where he can acquire match practice and self-confidence. He is convinced of the former goalscorer’s development potential. “If he finds a club that pushes him, I’m sure that we will get a completely different player back, just like we did with Kamada.” Last summer, Eintracht paid over four million euros to Red Star Belgrade for the Serbian. After the striker had scored goal on goal in the “Youth Champions League”, Joveljic was even allowed to play in two real Champions League games. Half of Europe had been after him, the good contacts with his advisor and the reputation of being a good training association were the decisive factors in his decision to go with Eintracht. Joveljic will now be trained by a loan club.

At Falette, the signs point to farewell

Simon Falette is also valued by Hütter, the competition in Frankfurt is too great for him too, and a new club should be found for him too. However, the French defender’s training is already completed at the age of 28. The two examples show how great the cutthroat competition has become at Eintracht. Because of the loss of income due to the corona pandemic of 60 million euros, Eintracht is forced to keep the squad as lean as possible, and there are fewer opportunities for the professionals because the Europa League matches are no longer available. Training is accordingly lively and focused. “Everyone trains with a good drive, commitment and commitment leave nothing to be desired,” says Hütter.

The quality still needs to be fine-tuned. The Austrian does this with meticulousness. On Friday he interrupted the big training game at least every 30 seconds in order to show his professionals the perfect running paths and pass options. This seemed a bit annoying to the training lapwings and maybe even to one or the other player, but it shows how clear and detailed the ideas of the coach are. And after a while there were impressive successes in pressing on some moves.

This is exactly what Hütter wants to continue working on throughout the season: “Better starting, faster counter-pressing, better collective defense”. In contrast to the past two seasons with Europa League campaigns and many English weeks, he will have the time to do so. It is far from certain which personnel the Austrian will work with. Because the transfer window does not close until October 5th. “We have to wait to see who goes,” says Hütter, “but it is a good feeling that we have already filled all positions twice.”

And if someone is bought out of the lineup, be prepared. Daichi Kamada is one of the candidates for change. The Japanese has aroused interest with his appearances as an attacking midfielder and is hesitant about extending his contract. “I would advise him to stay in Frankfurt first. If he keeps the level or maybe even increases it, then nothing stands in the way of going elsewhere. ”Kamada’s future is a much more interesting topic than his, said Hütter when he was asked about his outstanding contract extension beyond June 30, 2021. He did not set a deadline for the signature. “It doesn’t depend on much, but I don’t want to give any details. It is important that the discussions are held at a high level.