By Roberto Lamprecht
Attacker Änis Ben-Hatira (34) and goalkeeper Dennis Smarsch (24) surprisingly got involved in the training of the Berlin U23 on Thursday. Both have a long Hertha past.
What exactly is behind it? Both professionals are currently without a club and are now staying fit in Berlin. In the end, Ben-Hatira could do even more.
The winger went on the hunt for goals for the blue and whites in the Bundesliga from 2011 to 2016, scoring 17 goals in 77 competitive games.
His last two positions: From January to August 2022, Ben-Hatira played at BAK in the Northeast Regional League (Hertha’s U23s also play there), before moving to US Monastir (1st division in Tunisia), where he also played in the African Champions League (CAF) played.
Last season, Änis Ben-Hatira (left) still played in the regional league at BAK Photo: picture alliance / Andreas Gora
Tunisia’s ex-national player has been without a club since January 2023, but does not want to end his career just yet. At Hertha, he officially only wants to get fit for the time being in order to recommend himself for higher tasks.
Or will he take on a leadership role in Hertha’s U23 in the future as a so-called training assistant for the young boys?
Everything seems possible: Ben-Hatira has known President Kay Bernstein (42), sports director Benjamin Weber (43), Zecke Neuendorf (48/director academy/licensing area) and U23 coach Stephan Schmidt (46) for many years.
Dennis Smarsch last played for FC St. Pauli for three years and his contract was not renewed Photo: picture alliance / xim.gs
And what is goalkeeper Dennis Smarsch doing here again?
The 1.95m giant played at Hertha from 2010 to 2020, where he became German champion with the U19s and later even played two Bundesliga games for the professionals before moving to second division St. Pauli. His contract there has now expired after three years and will not be extended.
Smarsch almost ended up at KSC as the successor to Hertha returnee Marius Gersbeck (28). The Karlsruhe team then decided on Patrick Drewes (30) from Sandhausen. Smarsch is currently associated with Arminia Bielefeld, who was relegated to the second division.
Unlike in the Ben-Hatira case, no Hertha return seems possible for Smarsch. With Goller, Kwasigroch, Sprint and Cuk, the Berliners already have four keepers for the U23s.