Kennet Eichhorn hit the 2nd Bundesliga like a comet. The 16-year-old homegrown player not only sets records, but also immediately became a regular player at Hertha BSC. Where will this development end?
It has been clear for a few years now that, after Ibrahim Mazas and Lazar Samardzics, the next exceptional talent is already emerging in the Hertha BSC academy. The name Kennet Eichhorn was already mentioned sporadically when he was just 13 or 14 years old. Normally an age at which it is not at all possible to foresee where the journey would one day lead. But Eichhorn is different.
Nevertheless, no one would have thought that Eichhorn would enter the professional circle at the age of less than 16. But Hertha had to act in the summer. Fast. Because Eichhorn’s talent did not go unnoticed by other clubs in Germany. Numerous Bundesliga teams wanted to bring the Bernau native to their side.
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“You don’t notice that he’s only 15 years old”
It is well documented that Eintracht Frankfurt was close to signing him last summer. But Hertha pulled out all the stops at the last second to keep Eichhorn and bind him for the long term. Presumably with the promise that Eichhorn’s path to the top will be paved as quickly as possible.
And so Eichhorn was part of the professionals when training started last summer. At just 15 years old. So young that he is forbidden to play in the test matches. “You don’t notice that he’s only 15 years old,” coach Stefan Leitl makes it clear early on. “He’s doing really well in terms of his physicality and his understanding of the game. He’s very inquisitive, we’ve already had a lot of conversations.”
It quickly becomes clear: The fact that Eichhorn is involved with the professionals is not a marketing gimmick. No clumsy, striking underlining of the “Berlin Way”. Eichhorn is there because he belongs at this level. Experienced Leistner praises: “What the boy can do is amazing. Clear in the head, not at all aloof. I’m sure Hertha will have a lot of fun with him.”
A mix of skill and luck
The fact that Eichhorn is immediately in the thick of things is also due to Berlin’s personnel problems. With Paul Seguin, Diego Demme and Pascal Klemens, three players are out for the six position at the start of the season. A gap that Eichhorn fills and thus immediately fixes a problem area for Herthan in recent years.
On August 10th the time has come: Eichhorn celebrates his professional debut in the Olympic Stadium. The central midfielder will against Karlsruher SC came on in the 68th minute. At 16 years and 14 days he is the youngest debutant in second division historyin the 1st Bundesliga only Youssoufa Moukoko (13 days) was younger.
And Eichhorn does his job extremely confidently, acclimatizing with the first step onto the green. A debut with charisma. “I don’t give a shit whether he’s 16 or 17. He’s a huge talent for Hertha,” Leitl made clear after the game. “In many campaigns we saw what might be in store for us in the coming years. I’m totally convinced of him, he’s done a good job.”
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The breakthrough against Hanover
On the 5th matchday, Hannover 96 beats Eichhorn’s great hour: the first starting eleven appearance. At this point, Hertha has a measly two points in their account, and Berlin’s nervous system is almost paralyzed due to sheer nervousness. But Leitl trusts the 16-year-old to pull the strings against the then league leaders on the six.
Rightly so. Eichhorn shows a phenomenal game. He appears as if he already has 150 second division games under his belt. In 89 minutes, Hertha’s number 23 lost a single ball. 86 percent of his passes reach his teammate. He wins four balls and wins 55 percent of his duels. It would be an absolute achievement for any player. But for a newly 16-year-old with almost 70 minutes of second division experience, it is a sensation.
Eichhorn acts irritatingly adult. He doesn’t seem very strained and barely makes an expression. Yes, sometimes he dictates the pace. Sometimes he pushes opponents away as if they were the younger ones with whom you can do it. All actions are characterized by sovereignty, but never by arrogance.
At 16 years old Second division level
“Let’s be honest: 16 years old, 50,000 fans here, against a top team. For me he was by far the best player on the pitch,” Leitl praised his protégé after the 3-0 win, which was also made possible by him. Since then, Eichhorn has been an integral part of Hertha’s starting eleven. He started each of the last four games.
Nobody is surprised about it anymore. Eichhorn has even been mentioned surprisingly little in recent weeks. Because there is already consensus that he has to play. Eichhorn cannot be prevented at all. He is already strutting forward very confidently with the ball and is constantly driving his team’s game forward. Eichhorn always looks for a playful solution, has an eye on the entire field and has excellent decision-making skills. The comparisons with Toni Kroos are no coincidence.
But Eichhorn is already showing a facet that could set him apart from Kroos. Because he is also remarkably present against the ball. He is already 1.86 meters tall, but not lanky, but rather remarkably robust. “Two or three years ago he was at a point where there were a few question marks physically. But he worked hard to increase his resilience. That shows his ambition,” praises Ante Covic, who knows Eichhorn from the U17 and U19 Herthas.
A man among children
A fine strategist with the ball, a disciplined and hard worker off the ball. There are hardly any aspects in which Eichhorn is not already at a good professional level. Probably the greatest praise you can give Eichhorn: At the age of 16, he apparently reached second division level with ease.
This becomes particularly evident when Eichhorn meets people his own age. He has been captain of the German U17 national team since September. In those games, Eichhorn excelled both playfully and physically. It’s downright unfair how effortlessly he asserts himself against opponents of that age, floats through the ranks and dominates the midfield. Like a man among children – they are simply no match for Eichhorn.
Hertha’s restructuring plan
How long Hertha will enjoy Eichhorn is an exciting question. He could have taken the next step in the summer, but decided to get a lot of match practice in a familiar environment. “It is extremely important to me that my development never stops in all areas,” he emphasized when his contract was extended in July. At the moment, every minute in the second division is good for him, but soon he could completely outgrow Hertha.
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On the one hand, because Eichhorn is obviously one of the most talented footballers of his year. On the other hand, because he has a package of skills that makes him the perfect sole six in a team – a profile that is desperately sought in modern football and has hardly been developed recently, especially in Germany.
The contract extension last summer will bring Hertha a real shower of money for some time to come. And thereby underline that the “Berlin Way” is not just any philosophy, but a tried and tested tool for getting out of the financial crisis – and possibly Hertha’s only sustainable way to reorganize.
Quite a bit of pressure for a young person like Eichhorn. But pressure doesn’t seem to bother him anyway.
