Arne Friedrich will leave Hertha BSC in the summer. The sports director of the Bundesliga soccer club decided not to extend his contract, which expires at the end of the season. This was announced by the capital association on Tuesday.
“I am very grateful to the entire Hertha family for the time we spent together and the trust placed in me,” Friedrich was quoted as saying in the statement. The last two and a half years have been “very intense and marked by changes”.
“We’ve been through a lot of ups and downs”
“I returned in 2019 to support the club and do my part to stabilize Hertha BSC and lead it into calmer waters,” Friedrich continued. “We’ve been through a lot of ups and downs, but for me the positive moments clearly stand out.”
Hertha’s sports director Fredi Bobic thanked Arne Friedrich: “In a difficult situation for Hertha BSC, he was and is on the move every day with a lot of energy, passion and drive to advance the club. Always with clear ideas and a clear attitude. For that he deserves a lot of thanks. “
Friedrich’s decision not to extend the contract, which is due to expire in the summer, is regrettable but must be accepted. Bobic indicated Friedrich’s future plans: “It’s no secret that the USA plays an important role for him and we are working together to see how he can be of help to us there in the future.”
“Wanted to help build a certain structure”
Arne Friedrich returned to Hertha in November 2019 as a so-called performance manager under the then coach Jürgen Klinsmann. Already between 2002 and 2010 he was active as a defender in the club. Even after Klinsmann left, Friedrich stayed, initially became sports director and took over sole management of the sporting area in 2021 after Michael Preetz was dismissed, until Fredi Bobic joined the club in summer 2021.
“I wanted to help stabilize the club, to help build a certain structure,” said Arne Friedrich on Tuesday at a media round in front of the journalists present. “There have been many changes and with changes come challenges,” Friedrich continued. Nevertheless, he looks back gratefully on the time at Hertha.
The process of stabilization is not complete, you have to “say it very clearly”, but the club is well positioned. “Hertha have a great team,” said Friedrich. Where exactly he sees his task after the end of the contract, he wants to think about it in the summer.
Head of the junior academy also stops
In addition, Hertha announced the termination of the contract for the head of the youth academy. At the end of February, the collaboration with Benjamin Weber will end at his request. He wants to face new professional challenges.
Since July 2014, Weber has been responsible for youth work at Hertha’s football academy. During his tenure, he won the German A-Junior Championship in 2018 and the two DFB Cup finals for juniors in 2015 and 2016.
Broadcast: Inforadio, February 1st, 2022, 11:15 a.m
Source: rbb