Hockey coach André Henning has sharply criticized the circumstances for his professional group in Germany and also takes on politics.
“The salaries and the working conditions offered are absolutely poor, we don’t have to talk around it,” said the coach in an interview with the German Olympic Sports Association (DOSB). Many “top people would therefore migrate abroad:” Coachs will remain export hit if nothing changes. “
The fact that contracts would usually only apply to an Olympic cycle “and there are many colleagues who do not yet know whether they are still under contract in the following year is an absurdity,” Henning continued: “I don’t understand that many do not want to expose themselves to this risk. Frustration is always great.
When asked about the distribution of funds, Henning spoke out for diversity in Germany. He was “not a friend to let other sports bleed out” in favor of the stronger divisions. The questions that you have to ask yourself much more clearly are: “Do we want competitive sports at an absolute top level at all? Do we really want to be a sports country? Germany is not a sports country! And I think that’s a shame, because sport has an enormously important function and incredible potential with a high cost-benefit factor.”
Henning complained about the lack of public appreciation for the coaching profession, who had crowned the world champion with the German hockey men in 2023 and was also European champion in summer. “There is the coach of the year, a coach who has already won gold for two minutes. But otherwise? I give an example: We managed that our team for the World Cup title 2023 now receives the silver laurel leaf as an award almost three years later,” said Henning: “But nobody is allowed to come from the staff. Has a coaching profession in society. “
With regard to hockey, Henning said that despite the success “you have to continue to look at every euro”: “We will certainly leave a lot of potential. But I carry it out. We turn the system the best we can.”