Hertha coach Felix Magath advises Hertha to continue to rely on Boateng in the coming season (archive photo) Photo: picture alliance / contrastphoto
From BZ/dpa
The outgoing Hertha coach Felix Magath advises the Berliners to continue to rely on Kevin-Prince Boateng in the coming season after the narrowly managed Bundesliga relegation.
“He is a character that football needs – and above all Hertha BSC. Because otherwise Hertha is not so blessed with guys,” said Magath in an interview with “Kicker” (Friday).
Boateng was one of the key figures in the 2-0 victory in the relegation second leg at Hamburger SV, with which the capital club saved itself after the 1-0 loss in the first game.
“With his personality, Hertha will normally not be able to avoid taking him with them next year,” said Magath about the 35-year-old, who was only able to play part of the games last season due to health problems. “Of course he is a face and a symbol of the club. It’s clear that he’s not exactly easy to care for,” Magath continued about Boateng. He himself had declared that he would like to stay.
Left-back Marvin Plattenhardt contributed the most to staying in the league, said Magath, referring to his overall personality. The 30-year-old did not play before he took office. “He always made himself available. With his standards and efficiency, Plattenhardt kept us in the Bundesliga,” praised Magath and commented on the former international’s decisive free-kick goal in Hamburg: “If he really aimed for the angle, I take off my hat – and regardless of that I say: That is one for (national coach) Hansi Flick.”
For the 68-year-old Magath, the engagement in Berlin ended when he remained in his class. According to the “kicker”, Hertha BSC wants to bring in former Mainz coach Sandro Schwarz from Dynamo Moscow as his successor.
