SAILING/GHANA (mz). From Pflaumheim we went into the big, wide world of football. The sailor Bernhard Lippert has had an unusual career. After stints at Eintracht Frankfurt, among others, Lippert ended up in Azerbaijan alongside Berti Voigts. Since 2020 he has also been involved in Ghanaian football. A well-travelled football expert who has never lost contact with his homeland. Bernhard Lippert spoke to PrimaSonntag about his time in Africa and the challenges far away from the Bavarian Lower Main.
“I’ll be 61 soon, of course I want to go home again. But I don’t know when that will be.” Bernhard Lippert will also be celebrating his 61st birthday in distant Ghana – for the native sailor this is now a habit. He was in Azerbaijan for twelve and a half years before Ghana became his new home. Lippert moves back to Germany three to four times a year. “I’m still deeply connected to Aschaffenburg, that’s why my first way always goes to Sailauf. Once a year to the Bischling – that’s obligatory.” Lippert has consistently followed local football for many years. His special focus is on Eintracht Frankfurt. “I am in close contact with Peter Fischer and Axel Hellmann. One can only congratulate the people responsible for developing today’s unity.”
new beginning
in Azerbaijan
Lippert was active at Eintracht Frankfurt for eleven years, including as assistant coach to Jörg Berger. During this time, they also managed to get promoted to the first division. “As Eintracht, we weren’t on a bed of roses financially, we had to improvise a lot.” It was a time that cost Lippert a lot of strength. “There was a lot of political fighting back then. I was just tired of the whole situation and wanted to start something new.” A call from the DFB opened a new door. Restructuring football in Azerbaijan – an extremely attractive task for the sailor. “We initially agreed on a year, in the end it was twelve and a half years.” Lippert not only became coach of the U17 and U21 teams, but also technical director. “It was a completely new position in European football. We created new structures that simply didn’t exist there.” And Lippert’s work is bearing fruit. After a decade of reorganization, the team is currently doing very well in the Nations League. “It shows that it takes a good ten years to rebuild football in a country.” Berti Vogts, who, like Lippert, was involved in German and Azerbaijani football, also helped with this rise. “After initial difficulties, we ended up having a very good relationship. I was hired independently of him and have always felt independent.” Even after Vogt’s end as national coach in 2014, Lippert remained loyal to the country.
fulfillment of one
lifelong dream
But after almost 13 years, the sailor felt certain signs of fatigue, and on top of that there was the corona pandemic. “I wasn’t allowed to go out for half a year, I was only in my hotel, there was no football.” Lippert returned home, but not for long, because the next exciting task was already waiting – in Ghana. “I was selected from over 200 candidates from home and abroad.” He has been Technical Director of the Ghanaian Football Association since October 2020 – another Herculean task for Sailaufer. “No youth leagues for 15 years, no training as a coach, once banned for corruption. Everything was simply overslept.” The 60-year-old wants to bring Ghanaian football closer to the European system. “Countries like Morocco or Algeria work differently. They are more closely involved in the UEFA training path, which I am now trying to implement here.” The World Cup in Qatar remains unforgettable for Lippert in his tenure so far. “It was a dream to be able to actively accompany a World Cup again in old age. It was a great experience, even though it was all over after the preliminary round.” But his journey in Ghana is far from over. “The country can become a football powerhouse, they have just as many talents as Brazil.” Only when Lippert has exhausted Ghana’s potential will he return to his homeland. Then
