BERLIN — Hertha Berlin is attempting to resolve its persistent issues by changing coaches yet again. After suffering four consecutive defeats in the second division of German football, the club parted ways with Cristian Fiél on Sunday, appointing former Hannover manager Stefan Leitl as his replacement the following day.
This marks the 11th coaching change for Hertha since Pál Dárdai steered the team to average performance in the Bundesliga in 2019. The organization invested heavily, driven by financial backing from investor Lars Windhorst, but attempts to improve the team’s standing included hiring renowned coaches like Jürgen Klinsmann, Felix Magath, and Bruno Labbadia, with Dárdai returning to the helm for two additional terms. Nonetheless, the team faced relegation battles, resulting in its drop to the lower division in 2023.
Dárdai, along with Fiél, was expected to guide the club back to the Bundesliga, yet Hertha currently finds itself in 14th position out of 18 in the second division, perilously close to relegation to the third tier rather than a promotion back to the top flight.
What has gone wrong? Although Fiél had a strong rapport with players and transitioned to Hertha after a successful stint with Nuremberg, the team struggled to convert effort into results. In a match against Fortuna Düsseldorf, the Berlin side outperformed their opponents by taking 21 shots compared to just nine from the home team, yet they still lost 2-1.
“When you’ve lost four out of five games after the winter break, you don’t have many arguments on your side,” Fiél lamented post-match. This pattern of dominating possession but still failing to secure victories persisted in previous outings. Despite improved performance, persistent defensive and offensive errors plagued the team throughout.
Even with attempts to strengthen the squad, such as changing the goalkeeper in January, progress was minimal. The departures of key players like top scorer Haris Tabakovi? and defender Marc Oliver Kempf left substantial gaps. New arrivals have not met expectations either, with American defender John Brooks sidelined since his return, while injuries curtailed the contributions of Diego Demme and Kevin Sessa.
Looking ahead, Hertha is grappling with financial instability stemming from a series of poor management decisions initiated with Windhorst’s investments in 2019. Windhorst divested his shares to Miami-based investment entity 777 Partners in 2023, which has faced its own legal challenges, including a Belgian court ruling allowing asset seizures.
The future remains uncertain for Hertha, as the club struggles for funds to strengthen the team. Fiél’s requests for a replacement for Tabakovi? during the winter transfer window went unfulfilled. In 2023, the club also had to restructure a 40-million-euro loan to ensure repayment two years later, which allowed them to receive licensing for the current season but necessitates repayment by November. The financial health of Hertha BSC GmbH & Co. KGaA reported a consolidated net loss of 33.3 million euros for the period from July 2023 to June 2024.
The club faces a critical choice, needing to sell its top players to manage the burgeoning debt, which jeopardizes aspirations for promotion to the more lucrative Bundesliga. The future of promising young player Ibrahim Maza, who is just 19 and signed a contract extension lasting until 2027, remains uncertain with potential summer departures looming.
In the immediate future, Leitl will debut as coach in a home match against a strong Nuremberg side this Friday. Joining him as assistant coach is former Hertha captain Andre Mijatovi?. Leitl, 47, began coaching in 2017 at Ingolstadt, later taking Greuther Fürth to Bundesliga promotion in 2021, although they were relegated after one season. He previously managed Hannover before being dismissed in December 2022.
Additionally, Berlin’s soccer federation announced a continuation of the ban on outdoor games until Thursday, due to severe cold weather conditions in the city. While this won’t impede Hertha’s match at the Olympiastadion, the harsh weather will provide Leitl with a distinct challenge as he strives to revamp the team’s prospects.
