Artistically valuable: Arianit Ferati (left) also takes on two opponents. Photo: Imago
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By Daniel Hund
Heidelberg. Magic. Yes, when Waldhof’s dribbling artist Arianit Ferati, 23, has the ball at his feet, it feels like magic. Of tricks in cleats. Without hat and rabbit, with heart and wit. Bernhard Trares, the ex-trainer of the “Buwe”, once ennobled him. The blue-black promoter praised the multiple German U-national player over the green clover, certified him a “Champions League foot”.
So extraordinary skills. Precisely this gift of being able to decide a game on your own.
Much praise that can be proven. That was with Ferati Waldhof this season another forest farm. When the 1.69-m-man stood on the square lawn, things went off in front of him. His ideas, his passes, his free kicks. What he does with the ball, not many do. Not many can.
He was also decisively involved in the all-important 2-0 break in Unterhaching, which has already opened the door to relegation wide open. Ferati distributed the ball, directed and organized. And afterwards he was one thing above all: “Happy and full of joy”, laughs the whirlwind in the RNZ conversation, “I think that we showed really good football again in this game.”
But a Ferati is never satisfied. He wants more. You also have a goal in mind – and that means: 47 points. His trainer Patrick Glöckner hasn’t spoken of anything else for weeks. SVW currently has 45 on the account. Makes two counters out of three games. Sounds doable.
If you play like you did in Haching anyway. But maybe not quite like that. Because as nice as the away coup was: From a fan perspective, the exploitation of the chances was to bite into the edge of the table. Seven or eight goals conceded – Unterhaching couldn’t have complained. Ferati also has to grin: “Well, it was definitely not perfect in front of the goal.”
In retrospect, the season wasn’t perfect in general. Sometimes there was spectacular football, sometimes inexplicable dropouts. The fluctuations were gigantic. Ferati says: “There was definitely more in it for us overall. Because we have proven the quality we have several times.” But also: “You shouldn’t forget that we had to contend with bad luck with injuries.” And very important from his point of view: “No matter how bad it went, we always got the corner.”
Hardly anyone can curve as elegantly as he does. At Ferati everything looks so easy, so natural, as if he has been dancing with the ball for 100 years. Is it related to Lionel Messi? Quite possible. The Argentine and he – it’s a special bond. Ferati admires him from an early age, has copied a lot and built it into his own game. “I’m a huge fan of FC Barcelona and Messi in particular,” he reveals, “but also of Xavi, Iniesta and Ronaldinho, who all played there too.”
He emulates them. And meanwhile he is serious: Ferati has changed, has been more professional than ever since this season: team training, hold up a bit of the ball and you’re done – that was once upon a time. “I now train individually for myself before and after each training session,” he says. Increase strength and improve stamina – that’s the motto. Ferati with a smile on his face: “I hope you can see that somehow.”
The goal behind all the effort is clear. Ferati much further, always further. If possible all the way to the top. The Bundesliga is his dream. “If I keep going like this, I’ll go my way. The important thing is to think in small steps.”
Even the new season is still too far away for him. Then where will he play? Wait. His contract on Alsenweg expires. “I like it very much here, but I haven’t given it any thought. Only the last three games count for me now,” he said.
The home game against Halle is on Tuesday at 7 p.m. “A tough and very passionate opponent,” says Ferati. And against him he wants to do what he can best again.
Magic.
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