He knows how to win the trophy. Fredi Bobic won the DFB Cup as part of the magical triangle and a legendary team with VfB Stuttgart in 1997. In an exclusive interview with Sport.de, today’s football boss from Legia Waschau looks back on the emotional evening with Giovane Elber and talks about the expectation to the VfB final on Saturday against Arminia Bielefeld and about Niko Kovac’s sensational comeback with Borussia Dortmund.
Sport.de: Mr. Bobic when you think of the cup final in 1997, what do you think of?
Fredi Bobic: Very positive memories. It was the last game together with my two “brothers” Krassimir Balakov and Giovane Elber. But also the atmosphere and of course the victory that was never endangered.
It was an emotional game, also because Giovane was the last time for VfB. Then he met twice. He moved to Bayern in summer. How did you experience that back then? Did you comfort him afterwards?
On the one hand it was understandable that he took the next step. On the other he was also sad because we simply had a troop that still has a lot of contact with each other to this day, even in the interpersonal area. It was the case that we were in the hotel after the game and suddenly asked: Where is Giovane? He had locked himself up in the room and didn’t really want to get down to the party. And then I am highly deepened to him and said: So young, that’s your party here today. We go down there and will celebrate nicely. He was persuaded and then we had a really nice celebration.
After that there were legendary celebrations in Stuttgart with red -colored hair and Joachim Löw, to whom the hair was shaved. How wild was that back then?
That was wild. We were just a wild and great team. After the semi -finals we said: When we reach the final, we do it. And Jogi also said he does it when we win the final. And you just see what an interpersonal cooperation it was. On the town hall square in Stuttgart we started with the razor (laughs).
Do you still know how Joachim Löw set you before the game?
That we should play our game and we meet a very unpleasant opponent. Energy Cottbus was incredibly duel. But he pointed out our strengths and emphasized how important it is that we always keep them away from the goal. In terms of concentration, it was not an easy game. We were superior, but it was a game that you always had to be on the hat.
During this time, the “magical triangle” was in its high phase. How exactly did Löw unleash her offensive power?
He just let us do it on the pitch. He certainly gave us a few things when it went against the ball. We already played pressing at the time, where many other clubs didn’t want to know that in the form or not because it was somehow too risky.
Overall, we had a team that also had very great players on the defensive: Zvonimir Soldo, Thomas Berthold, Thomas Schneider and Franz Wohlfahrt in goal. Jogi gave us a basic system. He loves offensive football. That came to us because we had freedom on the pitch.
Bobic was really angry because of Löw refreshment
How acidic were you actually when Löw was fired in 1998 despite the success and was replaced by Winfried Schäfer?
We were really angry. We didn’t understand it at all. It has also been shown that there was a major change afterwards. A year later I went to Dortmund. Löw hired us well and had us under control. It was not a nice situation to get a new coach in the year after the European Cup final if the old was actually successful.
Was there a player in the 97 squad, who in your opinion is underestimated?
Zvonimir Soldo, very clear. He was a player who cleared everything on six. Behind him also Frank Verlaat our captain, who was a brilliant footballer. Both stood where others first had to run, they intuitively had that. So the middle was really strong.
What is the meaning of the cup title in your career?
A very big one. If you see that VfB has not won a trophy to this day. Now you are about to do it. I come from Stuttgart. Winning a title with your own club is always something very special.
It could be ready again at the weekend. IIs the game against Bielefeld comparable to the game against Cottbus 1997? A strong third division champion with a lot of euphoria.
It is already comparable. Bielefeld also captivates with team unity, with hard work on the square. It is not for nothing that they put several Bundesliga clubs out. Even at Bayer Leverkusen, you managed to get your opponent down to your level and win this game. You have to have respect for it.
For VfB, like for us, it will be the most important thing for us to be fully concentrated every minute. And then at the right time to do the goals, to use the quality. But first you have to tackle it physically and from the duels, as if you face a Bundesliga club.
“Game also important for VfB eminent from an economic point of view”
How do you do this so that you don’t underestimate such a team. Is there a trick?
You will not underestimate Bielefeld. If you immerse yourself in the full Olympic Stadium, you notice: It’s something else. No matter who is on the other side, you will be fully focused.
Where can Bielefeld be dangerous to VfB?
Standards are always dangerous. If you manage to keep VfB away from the goal, do not let him get a chance and manage to get the game down to your pace, as you did against Leverkusen, then you will be dangerous for VfB.
At VfB there is a risk of national player Angelo Stiller. How serious would it be if he couldn’t play?
This is not allowed in this game. He is his very good player. It is not the case that the team had no weapons without him.
Do you tell us your tip for the final?
It is clear to me: I think it will be a tight game and tap a 2-0, a sovereign victory of VfB.
Success would be extremely important for the club. Especially because it didn’t just go smoothly in the league. How do you rate the VfB season?
The cup final is now eminently important. With a win you move into the Europa League. They didn’t make it through the league because they left grains and made mistakes due to the burden that was new to the players. That is why this game is eminently important from the aspect of the economic situation. If you do not win, it will have a negative impact on the ongoing.
You know the Europa League well and have caused a sensation there with Frankfurt.
The Europa League is as serious as the Champions League. It is an upgraded competition from Eintracht. Every Bundesliga club takes these European competitions very seriously.
Most recently there was a lot of talk of Nick Woltemade. He was nominated for the Nations League final. Can national coach Julian Nagelsmann even get past him?
He deserves it. The boy has a lot of potential. Taking him with him also has to do with the fact that Tim is operated on. Then getting on Woltemade is just the right decision.
“I’m totally happy for Niko Kovac”
The focus was also on one of her ex-team: Borussia Dortmund. They know their trainer Niko Kovac well. Did she surprise this league comeback?
Everyone was surprised that they made it to fourth place. Even with BVB and Niko. It also had to do with the league constellation, but of course they did something that is sensational with five wins in a row. I am totally happy for Niko because he got the team on track and put the idea of performance in the first place, not the name and not any systems, but simply made them fit and hot. It wasn’t easy for him from the start, but he was exactly the right man for exactly the situation at BVB.
So the Kovac secretary is: let it run a lot and let a lot run?
Simple work. Then the quality and self -confidence come by itself. This is sometimes underestimated. You always talk a lot about systems. But at the end of the day it is the simple things and if you then have the quality in the team, it makes it out.
Legia is FC Bayern of Poland
Since April you have had a new task at Legia as a football director. What are your goals with the club?
We have an exciting summer ahead of us. We have to get the team fresh again. She played 54 games, won the trophy, but in the league we became fifth and had to pay a little tribute due to the giant number and because the squad is not so deep. We will work on that. I look at everything in my position. In cooperation with our sports director, we try to pull the structures so clean that the club can be designed sustainably and is competitive for several competitions.
Have you decided to do something different from your last stations Hertha, SGE and VfB?
Each club has its own DNA. That’s why I started earlier to get to know the club better. So after two months there is a feeling: Now I understand the club better. I have conducted interviews with all kinds of people, with all possible departments and slowly the picture completes the picture for me. And with it: what we may have to change and improve.
The fans of Legia are notorious. To what extent is this a topic for you or a problem?
I don’t see it that way. The fans are very passionate. The association is privately led by an owner. The fans have something to say, it should be. The stadium is always full, they follow us everywhere. Every away game is sold out. They are loud, very well organized. Also critical when things are not going.
It’s like Bayern in Germany. It is the largest brand. Everyone talks about Legia. Social media is full of it in Poland. The club is mostly talking about it. That must not bother us in the operational. That makes us proud that we have such support.
Thanks for the conversation.