After just a few weeks as the new head coach at Hertha BSC, Sandro Schwarz has long since decided which approach and which priorities he wants to use to get the club back on the road to success in the Bundesliga. Veteran Kevin-Prince Boateng, whose future at the capital club was uncertain for a long time, should also play a central role.
In an interview with “kicker”, Hertha’s new coach made it clear how important the 35-year-old still is for the Berlin team structure: “In preparation, he has completed 90 percent of the training sessions so far. That’s a good start. And he is a personality: very open, very clear, opinionated. He feels responsible for the group, even off the pitch. I’m glad he’s there,” said Schwarz about Boateng, who signed a new contract until 2023 after his endorsement Hertha BSC got.
The midfielder should set an example on the training ground and in the games when it comes to the question of which football the old lady wants to present in the future.
“We want to play active, courageous football: with great intensity and great willingness,” Schwarz reiterated. For the ex-Mainzer, the approach is clear that Hertha BSC should be perceived in its sporting responsibility more as a workers’ than as a glamor club (keyword “Big City Club”): “We want to be diligent and do it first – and not chatter. For us, every day is based on the principle of performance. To do this, you have to create an atmosphere that allows you to win games – in a kind of football that is recognizable. That is the aim and the approach.”
Black feels “complete support” at Hertha BSC
Sandro Schwarz, who has signed a contract in the capital until 2024, cannot and does not want to recognize the discord between the Hertha protagonists, which has been repeatedly criticized in the recent past: “I felt complete support from day one. I don’t feel any turmoil or fights in the club. We are clear in our structure and the communication channels,” emphasized the new Hertha coach, who above all rated the previous cooperation with sports director Fredi Bobic as constructive and positive.
After the most recent 5-1 friendly win at Energie Cottbus on Friday, Hertha BSC will move into its next training camp in Burton-upon-Trent, England, next Tuesday. The next test is scheduled for Saturday against second division side Derby County.