As far as sporting goals are concerned, Kay Bernstein, who has been President of Hertha BSC for a year, is defensive. The goal of re-promotion can only be formulated realistically when the transfer phase has been completed and it is known which team will be on the field in the coming season. “Calling out a goal now would be nonsense.”
There are so many tasks ahead of the club, said Bernstein on Dlf. “We have the licensing issue, we have the restructuring issue. We have the economic restructuring issue, we have the management change. ”He said when he took office that it would be a marathon and not a sprint.
Happy about the support of the fans
As for the support of the fans, Bernstein was satisfied. “Absurdly enough” they were relegated with a record number of viewers and a very high increase of almost 5,000 new members.
The president of Hertha BSC said of the financial worries that are driving the club and which could also affect the award of the second division license: “The football system is not designed to operate sustainably, it is always the idea of the maximum sporting success on the verge of economic insolvency. And that’s why we’re in need of restructuring, because it’s been worked through so excessively.”
Criticism of profit maximization as a maxim in professional football
Bernstein is not only critical of this focus on profit maximization in relation to Hertha BSC. “We would have to fundamentally question this system.” He called for a salary cap to be discussed “up to the point where we can justify it, where the sums can still be explained, where it can also still be refinanced, where financial fair play cannot It’s just kind of a word.” He also said he would like the officials to live up to their responsibilities and “not chase success by hook or by crook”.
There are now three specific tasks for his club: first obtain the license, then reorganize and consolidate and finally put the squad together in such a way that he has a chance to play for promotion.
Windhorst money was “burned”
The investment of the financier Lars Windhorst in the amount of 375 million euros was “burned”. You lost 75 million that year and 90 the year before. Bernstein sums it up like this: “We just haven’t managed well in recent years, and we’ve spent more money than we’ve earned.” That’s why the 100 million served Euro of the new investor “777 Partners” solely for the financial restructuring. Bernstein said that Hertha BSC was sure that they had the necessary documents for the second division license together – and that they could prove their ability to act and their liquidity. “We say we’ll get the license and start in the second division.”