By Roberto Lamprecht
New Zoff at Hertha! In mid-August, Hertha goalkeeper Rune Jarstein (37) was suspended by Hertha BSC after he was said to have made disparaging comments about goalkeeping coach Andreas Menger (50).
Hertha manager Fredi Bobic (50) at the time: “You can throw something at your head, but the tonality and the language were totally wrong. It was a bit more intense. From the club’s point of view, there was no chance of sorting it out in any way.”
Hertha manager Fredi Bobic wants to get rid of Rune Jarstein Photo: picture alliance/dpa
Hertha immediately released the Norwegian (contract until June 30, 2023), but nevertheless offered him an early termination contract including severance pay due to his great merits (he has been playing for Hertha since 2014). But Jarstein refused.
Now the dispute escalates! BZ learned: Hertha gave Jarstein a notice of termination on November 30th.
Manager Fredi Bobic (50) when asked by BZ: “We have separated under labor law while observing a social grace period. Rune Jarstein is defending himself against this in court.” Means: Hertha’s goalkeeper immediately filed a lawsuit for protection against unfair dismissal. He is thus suing against the effectiveness of the termination.
Hertha’s goalkeeping coach Andreas Menger (left) says Rune Jarstein is listening. Not since August Photo: City Press
Klaus Mittelstädt, press spokesman for the labor courts in Berlin, when asked by the BZ: “I can confirm that there are proceedings by Mr. Jarstein against the termination of his employment and that there will be a conciliation hearing before the labor court in Berlin on November 1, 2022 at 12.45 p.m. – according to the current status – will be held.”
Quality deadline on November 1st
At the conciliation hearing before the labor court in Berlin, no judgment has yet been made. It serves to enable both parties, i.e. the plaintiff (Jarstein) and the defendant (Hertha BSC), to agree on a settlement or a withdrawal of the lawsuit before it goes to the second instance before the Berlin-Brandenburg State Labor Court.
What does Jarstein want to achieve with the lawsuit against Hertha?
After all, a termination agreement would have had the advantage that he could still look for a new club as a player without a club in the first half of the season.
The Norwegian is unlikely to be interested in being reinstated at Hertha. By the time a verdict could be expected, his contract would have expired on June 30, 2023. It is more likely that it is about money, i.e. the payment of the contractually agreed remuneration, which will be higher than a severance payment.
Jarstein may also want to document that he considers the termination to be unjustified and feels that he has been treated unfairly. The Norwegian has not appeared in public since the suspension and could not be reached by BZ on Monday.