Magath's metamorphosis: cool and nice in the relegation

Created: 05/15/2022Updated: 05/15/2022 11:46 am

Head coach Felix Magath from Hertha BSC speaks in an interview before the start of the game.

© Andreas Gora/dpa/archive image

How much drama can Hertha endure?

The momentum speaks after the next blow in the relegation battle against the Berliners.

Felix Magath changes from a rescuer to a relegation coach and suddenly relies on verbal support that has not been shown before.

Berlin - In a white polo shirt and beige linen trousers, Felix Magath stood relaxed and casual on the training ground on Sunday morning.

The notorious grinder becomes Mr. Nice Guy at Hertha BSC in times of need.

In view of the nerve games in the relegation, the Berlin rescue trainer changed his tough strategy.

Just keep calm now.

And no more words about the last doubts and weaknesses in the Big Crisis Club.

Magath talked energetically to his players before training, but it didn't get any louder.

Even before the end of the practice session, Magath made his way to Darmstadt to observe opponents.

His players, devastated after the Dortmund drama and the late Stuttgart goal shock, need a crash course in moral development help.

They will now also get that in a training camp starting Tuesday, as announced by manager Fredi Bobic.

It's all about the rescue, everything else has to take a back seat.

The big upheaval and Magath's future will also be decided after the relegation, said Bobic in the Sport1 "double pass".

After the 1-2 draw at BVB, Magath tried to get his players on their feet.

“Our team presented itself here in Dortmund as a Bundesliga team.

That's why I'm confident.

We have legitimate prospects of remaining in the league against the third-placed team in the second division,” said Magath after the extremely painful last-minute crash in 16th place.

The purposeful pessimism cultivated by Magath, with which he wanted to make verbal advance payments for exactly this emergency, must now pay off.

The relegation was inevitable, now we have to deliver is Magath's strategy.

"It wasn't the worst case.

We managed to move up from 17th to 16th place.

That's why we achieved our minimum goal and were able to avoid direct relegation," he drew an interim balance of his two months in Berlin.

Ten points from eight games is decent.

1.25 points per game is more than his predecessors Pal Dardai (1.16) and Tayfun Korkut (0.69.)

Only in the Berlin emotional world hardly anyone perceives this positively.

Hertha BSC has practically been saved three times.

But something always went wrong.

The series culminates in the shock of Dortmund.

And again only a few minutes were missing.

After the 1:1 in Bielefeld and the 1:2 against Mainz it got extra dramatic.

Ishak Belfodil (18th) scored the lead, the equalizer by Erling Haaland (68th) was annoying.

Even Youssoufa Moukoko's 1:2 in the 84th minute would have been tolerable.

But then came Stuttgart's 2-1 winner against 1. FC Köln in the second minute of injury time.

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"The guys are totally exhausted and are sitting in the changing room," said managing director Fredi Bobic.

"One or the other dropped their heads," added Magath.

The home game in the relegation is on Thursday.

Four days later, the decision will be made by the second division third party.

Whether goalkeeper Marcel Lotka can be there is obviously questionable.

The 20-year-old had to be examined on Sunday after his post crash in Dortmund on suspicion of a slight concussion.

In the background, the power struggle between President Werner Gegenbauer and investor Lars Windhorst continues to smolder in Berlin - this showdown is also postponed for the time being by the relegation.

Both sides want to remain silent until the sporting decision is made - and have stuck to it so far.

Hertha's memories of the last relegation so far are traumatic.

After the 1:2 in the first leg against Fortuna Düsseldorf ten years ago, the second leg, which was overshadowed by riots, ended in added time with a score of 2:2 with a rush by Düsseldorf fans.

Referee Wolfgang Stark declared the game over and was attacked by angry Hertha players.

There were objections and negotiations before the DFB courts.

The Hertha relegation remained.

Felix Magath couldn't stand so much drama either.

dpa