Relegation Hertha? “Something like this obviously hurts.”

Sandro Schwarz has been active since 2023 Head coach for New York Red Bulls and he has successfully adapted to the new challenges in the MLS within six months.

In exclusive SPIRITUAL1-Interview, the former Bundesliga coach talks about his views on American soccer culture. Known for his passionate and emotional leadership style, Schwarz also reflects on his past at Hertha BSC and looks to his future career.

SPORT 1: Mr. Black, You’ve been here in New York for a little over six months now. Have you gotten used to the climate yet?

Sandro Schwarz: Yes for sure. In fact, they were real experiences, new experiences. But that’s all we wanted. We feel very comfortable in the action, in our daily life, in dealing with each other. And that is why it was a good decision and that is proven every day.

SPORT 1: What are the biggest differences between Germany?

Schwarz: I think it’s not about pointing out any differences, but about living with full awareness of everything that is needed here in their daily lives and at work. And this is not about comparison. I don’t think that makes sense. It’s just about getting to know yourself as a person, but also as a trainer. And that will be crucial. And not looking back and saying: ‘Okay, that’s how it is in Germany, it’s like that here’. There are differences, no question. And it’s about always treating it right.

SPORT 1: What is your first impression of the MLS? There are a lot of stars here. They have Emil Forsberg in the team, Messi plays in Miami…

Schwarz: It’s a challenge to win games here. So it’s not true that you can play games here with 80 percent and think: ‘We’ll win them like that’. It’s a challenge to win games, to play games, to travel, to accept the weather – that’s all as it should be. And that’s why it’s a challenging league. This is a very close league in terms of performance density. Therefore, it is important to prepare seriously, every week, every day, to successfully win games.

SPORT 1: How difficult is the language barrier? Is it available?

Schwarz: It should work, I think (laughter). So maybe I’m not a professor of English. It could be difficult to manage a course at university now. But managing a football team, teaching them how we should behave, teaching them how we want to play football, that works well in English.

SPORT 1: Do you still follow the Bundesliga – especially in the last six months?

Schwarz: Yes, certainly, logical. Although the calendar does not have to change accordingly every week, we watch some games with great interest – as a football fan, as a Bundesliga fan But then again we can deal with the We have a task here, which is very challenging.

SPORT 1: Were you surprised that Bayern Leverkusen managed to destroy FC Bayern?

Schwarz: If you had said that a year ago, it would have been logically surprising. But at the end of the day it’s also worthy of the way they did it. In the way they played football, how intense they were, with the greed to get results every week. He deserved to win the games especially at the back.

SPORT 1: Have you now dealt with Hertha’s relegation some distance?

Schwarz: Yes, it’s still difficult because we worked there for eight months and put a lot of heart and soul into the club. We tried everything very much, to have a good atmosphere, to develop a playing culture, all that was a very intense eight months and of course it hurt – even if we weren’t there in the immediately when the relegation was sealed on the way. last day of play. But of course you were part of it this season and logically also responsible. It is clear that something like this hurts because you identified a lot with the action, with the club. But it has now been worked through and now there is a new function. And that’s where the whole focus is.

SPORT 1: They always had a special connection with the club. Have you asked for that again? Farewell to you publicly accepted? Is Hertha still in your heart?

Schwarz: Yes, sure. I believe that it is always very important for me as a person that I do the things that I do with a high level of recognition, with a high level of passion. And that is why Hertha will always be part of the past, the past. We are very grateful to have had this experience and of course we are also following what they are doing now. I wish you all the best.

SPORT 1: Can you imagine returning to that at some point Bundesliga think again? Or say: I like it so much abroad right now, maybe I’ll use the job to get to know other cultures again?

Schwarz: It was never about that for us. To be honest, we never chose clubs where we said: What is the city like? For us, the sporting challenge was always a clear criterion. The people we work with were the benchmark, the philosophy, the identity. And that is why we have chosen this step. We want to dedicate ourselves to this work with full awareness and that is where we are now.