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Bundesliga Focus - How to solve a problem like Hertha
Saturday 05 December 2009
When the 2009/10 Bundesliga season kicked off in August, most people expected to see Hertha Berlin build on what had been a highly successful previous campaign and attempt to mount another strong push for Champions League football. Having missed out on such a feat by just a point last term, not even their harshest critic would have predicted the spectacular fall from grace that has since befallen the team from the capital. Just 14 weeks into the campaign, last season’s title chasers are staring the very real prospect of relegation squarely in the face following a horrific run of form that has seen them go 13 league games without a win. While there have been no shortage of new talking points in recent weeks, the one recurring question on everyone’s lips remains – just where has it all gone wrong for Hertha BSC?
All looked pretty normal after the opening weekend of the season following a 1-0 home win over Hannover, but since that day the club have been in free fall mode and have never really looked like regaining control. A look at the table makes for glum viewing for Hertha fans, with their once high-flying side firmly rooted to the bottom with just five points, a full six behind second bottom Stuttgart. More worryingly for Coach Freidhelm Funkel, brought in to replace the out going Lucien Favre in early October, is the manner of his team’s defeats. Conceding goals has been a real problem with scoring them an equally taxing dilemma. A combination that if maintained usually only results in one outcome, relegation.
The goals conceded column after 14 weeks reads 30, meaning just over two goals a game have been shipped against Hertha. The root of that problem can be put down to both a bit of bad luck, and a bit of bad judgement. Injury troubles have meant that Funkel has used three different goalkeepers in his short reign in charge (Jaroslav Drobny, Timo Ochs and Sascha Burchet), not ideal for defensive consistency. While that can be argued as simply bad fortune, the decision to sell star centre-half and captain Josip Simunic to Hoffenheim is more commonly thought of by the fans as poor business. No notable replacement was brought in to cater for the Croatian’s loss and, given Simunic was voted last season’s best defender by some magazines and papers, it was clear his absence would have some negative affect on the team.
To overcome a leaky defence, you need a potent attack, something Hertha clearly do not have. Only shot shy Köln have scored less than Berlin’s lame total of nine strikes and that is another area that has been significantly weakened since the summer. On-loan Andriy Voronin was a revelation last season scoring 11 times in 20 games, but the clubs constant delaying on a decision to make the deal permanent in the summer eventually put the Ukrainian off a move. Marko Pantellic was another consistent performer who was allowed to leave too easily after failing to agree a suitable contract, and the Hertha hierarchy must be now ruing their decision to instead replace the pair with the distinctly average Marcelo Ramos and ageing Artur Wichniarek. Neither has looked as impressive and, in truth, probably never will do.
For all their misgivings this season, Hertha will hope that their few remaining quality players such as Goijko Kacar, Arne Freidrich and Patrick Ebert will be enough to catapult them to safety as the season wears on but will shelve any hopes of Europe that were initially doing the rounds in the summer. Realistically, Hertha need to bring in a top quality centre-back, two prolific strikers and a creative playmaker if they are to stay up but, with money tight, they may have to rely on some inspirational loan signings to make ends meat. No doubt about it; Freidhelm Funkel will have a busy January, but even if he can improve the squad and thus results, the poor first half of the season could mean it all turns out to be too little too late for Hertha.
Elsewhere, under-pressure Stuttgart Coach Markus Babbel appears to have been given the dreaded vote of confidence ahead of the must-win clash with Bochum. Club president, Erwin Staudt, has told the German media that Babbel will not be replaced before the upcoming winter break, though a decision about his long term future will be made in January. It means the stricken Coach will have three more league games and one Champions League tie to prove himself worthy of continuing in the job. The ex-Germany international has managed to guide his team to just two league victories in 14 games this season, but remarkably could take Stuttgart to the CL last 16 if they beat Unirea Urziceni on the final matchday. The general consensus however, is that even progression from their group probably won’t save his job.
One man who definitely won’t be replacing Babbel at Stuttgart is former Bayern Munich Coach Jurgen Klinsmann. The former national team boss has been strongly linked with the management position at Liverpool should Rafa Benitez get the chop, but while that seems a likely option, a return to the Bundesliga certainly does not. Klinsmann told German paper Bild he will not consider any jobs in Germany in the near future, but has said he is actively looking to take a job abroad. He failed to rule out the possibility of taking over at Anfield, a job he turned down a few years ago, and hinted that he could be in charge of a club in 2010. Klinsmann said: “After the World Cup, I will probably be somewhere else.” Expect the rumour mill to begin churning.
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