Blue skies, warm temperatures at Hertha’s training camp in Florida. Fredi Bobic (51) can enjoy the weather in the south-east of the USA and the new team spirit for one more day. But it’s not all sunshine and roses for the blue-and-whites. Because there is a risk of the first row between the manager and President Kay Bernstein (42), who has been in office since the end of June 2022. It’s about the Bierhoff successor at the DFB, where Bobic has long been the favorite and now Rudi Völler will probably be.
Bobic sits relaxed in the chair on the training ground in Bradenton and talks in the media round, which was recorded by Hertha TV, about the past few weeks when the search for a new sports director at the DFB came up.
But then these sentences come: “I just find it exciting how many people react to it and how they react to it. I mean that from the journalists, but also in my own club. That’s why it was also a good test to see: have we stayed quiet here or who is talking about something here.”
Hertha manager Bobic: “It’s exciting who said what here”
The next sentence sounds like an announced dispute packed with smugness: “I’m looking forward to returning to Berlin soon. And it’s really, really exciting because it’s also a test overall.” Bobic doesn’t pronounce a name and says: “I’m not going to go into detail about it now. I’ll say that straight to your face.”
It is clear to everyone who is meant. Because at Hertha, only President Kay Bernstein has commented on a possible departure from Bobic. The following sentences could be read in a Kicker interview: “We are moving in the realm of the hypothetical. Before such a personality gets contours, I assume that both Fredi and we as a club would get a few calls from Frankfurt/Main. And that didn’t exist until now.”
Hertha BSC: Bernstein said: “Travellers should not be stopped”
But Bernstein also explained: “I always take the position: Travelers should not be held up. But again: Fredi Bobic is in a responsible position at Hertha BSC – and if I have my way, he will be there for quite a while.” Bobic must have been very angry with the first sentence.
A little later, Bernstein was quoted in the picture: “In the event that the DFB would be interested in Fredi Bobic and therefore contact us and Fredi would then seriously deal with it – one would have to talk openly with one another and clarify: How can that work ? Fredi has a contract with Hertha. But nobody has contacted us yet.” The mind games are said to have also involved a possible transfer fee.
Hertha manager Bobic: “Replacement from the DFB? I’m laughing my ass off!”
Bobic is more specific: “There was also something economical, big fee and back and forth. I laugh my ass off. I didn’t hear, not even from Kay Bernstein, that anyone had called and asked. How much does the fee cost. It wasn’t even an issue.”
To put it bluntly, Bobic isn’t amused that Bernstein even commented on the whole issue. But Bobic himself has also contributed to speculation because he did not immediately turn down the DFB when his name was mentioned. Managers and presidents can handle both of these things as they would among men. It can also get louder. Then this test is passed too…
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