GIf a footballer scores three goals in a row in one half, it is called a hat trick. For three jobs as a coach at the same club, however, there is still no designation. It is probably only a matter of time before solutions are found here as well. And it’s even more likely that they will come from Berlin, the city that likes to be innovative.
For the long largest and most successful football club in the metropolis, this does not apply to the occupation of the coaching position. Hertha BSC was rather pragmatic when they announced the return of Pál Dárdai on Sunday, who will receive a contract until the end of the season. The Hungarian takes over for the recently released Sandro Schwarz. After 2015 and 2021, this is Dárdai’s third appointment as head coach of Hertha BSC.
From the point of view of those responsible, the step had become necessary after the team went down 2:5 at bottom Schalke 04 on Friday and slipped to the end of the tableau. “After the frightening defeat in Gelsenkirchen, we have used the past one and a half days intensively to analyze and evaluate our situation, also together with Sandro,” said sports director Benjamin Weber in a statement. In the course of this analysis, they came to the conclusion that they wanted to set a “new stimulus” for the remaining six games. So business as usual in Berlin.
Results open after discussion
After the disastrous defeat, in which Hertha showed serious weaknesses in all areas, coach Sandro Schwarz met managing director Tom Herrich and sports director Benjamin Weber on Saturday. Since this meeting took place parallel to the training of the Bundesliga team, some media were already speculating that Black would be kicked out early.
According to FAZ information, all parties initially left the conversation open-ended. Schwarz confirmed his conviction that he could still reach the team and be able to win the upcoming game against Werder Bremen on Saturday (3.30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Bundesliga and on Sky).
Those responsible were also open to a scenario of continuing with Black. The main reason for this was the popularity of the coach within the team and in the club. Until recently, players had praised Black and his calm, matter-of-fact manner. After the many changes of coach in the recent past, they really wanted continuity in this important position. Black simply lacked the good results that are essential for continued employment. In the end, the conviction to try a new man on the sidelines prevailed.
In the past few weeks, Hertha’s competitors Stuttgart and Hoffenheim had swapped their coaches and have played much more successfully since then. They are now hoping for the same at Hertha BSC. As bottom of the table, the situation is serious with six games to go, but the gap to the saving fifteenth place is only four points. In addition, Hertha’s remaining program could be an advantage. Among other things, the Berliners still play against direct competitors such as Stuttgart and Bochum, and Bremen, Cologne and Wolfsburg, who are in midfield, are also considered beatable. Hertha is only a clear outsider at Bayern Munich at the end of April.
Coach Sandro Schwarz slipped to last place with Hertha BSC.
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Image: Reuters
In order to prevent the third relegation in this millennium, those responsible in Berlin remembered the well-known Dárdai. According to FAZ information, he prevailed internally against Oliver Reiß, the coach of the A-Youth. What speaks for Dárdai is that he knows the club and the Bundesliga very well with all their sporting and media requirements and has already proven himself successfully in the relegation battle. In his two previous engagements, he also saved Hertha from going into the second division. For Reiss, the Bundesliga and the high pressure situation in the relegation battle would have been completely new territory.
According to FAZ information, external candidates only played a minor role. This is especially true for Markus Gisdol. His name was mentioned because he is said to be close to Johannes Spors. Spors is sports director at 777 Partners, the new investor in Hertha BSC. The US company recently took over Lars Windhorst’s shares in Hertha’s professional department.
Since then, there has often been talk of a so-called “locust” entering and of the fact that the Americans have a great deal of influence on sporting decisions in the background, meaning that Hertha has lost decision-making authority. Dárdai’s return campaign does not necessarily support this thesis. The 47-year-old has no connection to 777 Partners so far, but all the more to the club.
At Hertha BSC, Dárdai is the club’s record player, a crowd favorite and, in addition to his work as coach of the professional team, has also been responsible for various youth teams in Berlin. Under former manager Fredi Bobic, Dárdai broke up and was later dismissed. The resentment seems to have vanished. “Everyone knows my relationship with Hertha BSC, so I didn’t have to think twice when I got the call. There are still six games left, maybe two more, and I will do everything with the team to ensure that Hertha BSC stays in the Bundesliga,” Dárdai was quoted as saying. It will be officially presented this Monday. For the third time.
