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Windhorst in February 2020 at a Hertha press conference: "We are here to stay."
Photo:
imago images / Matthias Koch
Lars Windhorst, investor in Bundesliga soccer team Hertha BSC, would invest even more than the 374 million euros in the club if necessary. “My goal is to get Hertha upstairs. If further investments have to be made for this, I will provide the funds, ”said the 44-year-old in an interview with the“ Süddeutsche Zeitung ”. He will "do everything possible" so that the goals of the club can be achieved, said Windhorst. “No matter what it takes. I will never give up."
Since joining the capital city club in 2019, Windhorst and its investment company Tennor have acquired a total of 66.6 percent of the spin-off Hertha BSC GmbH & Co. KGaA. In terms of sport, however, it has not yet paid off. Last season Hertha was only 14th in the table. and only managed to stay in the league shortly before the end. This season it looks even worse: The Berliners are at the bottom of the table with zero points after three matchdays. On Sunday they will meet up with Bochum (5.30 p.m. / TV: Sky).
Despite the setbacks, he has »no exit strategy. I didn't buy to sell. We're here to stay, ”said Windhorst. He doesn't regret his investment either. He continues to aim to play with Hertha in the Champions League. Windhorst wants the mostly mediocre Berliners to play at the top of the Bundesliga as soon as possible: "That shouldn't take five to ten years, but rather two to five," said the investor.
There were reports that agreed payments from Windhorst were delayed at Hertha.
Hertha made negative headlines with two ex-footballers hired by Windhorst: the former national goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, whom Windhorst employed as a sports advisor, had to leave after a racist statement to former Bundesliga professional Dennis Aogo.
Jürgen Klinsmann, whom Windhorst had initially also hired as a consultant, but who later also briefly took over the coaching position at Hertha, left the club in chaos when he left in February 2020.
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Investor Windhorst: "My goal is to get Hertha up."
Photo: DAVID SWANSON / REUTERS
Windhorst sees himself as an innovator at Hertha.
In recent years he has noticed a lack of winning mentality at the club: “It was often too little there in the last 20 or 30 years.
The mediocrity was enough for many. «There were people in the club who would be content with relegation.
And some of them still exist.
But: "How can a player be convinced of absolute success if his superior doesn't have this will or doesn't radiate it," asked Windhorst.
Windhorst is said to have had problems in particular with Michael Preetz, who was dismissed in January for many years.
Criticism of coach Dárdai: "Something like that just doesn't work."
Windhorst found critical words about Hertha's current coach Pál Dárdai.
After the 5-0 defeat against FC Bayern two weeks ago, the Hungarian said: “I'm not hanging on my seat, I'm helping out.” And: “Hertha BSC has probably been looking for a great coach for a long time.
Pál is a small coach, a nice coach, he helps out for as long as it should be. «This was understood as if Dárdai was indirectly offering his resignation.
“It's just not possible.
As a player, I think: He doesn't care anything anyway, «criticized Windhorst now.
Windhorst is not afraid of going down: "That won't happen," he said.
With the new sports director Fredi Bobic and CEO Carsten Schmidt, Hertha have "no amateurs, but verifiably successful managers who know how to prevent this worst-case scenario," said Windhorst.
Bobic had recently changed the Berlin squad: With the Brazilian Olympic champion Matheus Cunha (for 30 million to Atlético Madrid), Jhon Córdoba (for 20 million euros to Krasnodar) and Dodi Lukebakio (loan to Wolfsburg), the club has its three best attackers submitted.
Ishak Belfodil (for 500,000 euros from Hoffenheim), Stevan Jovitic (free transfer from Monaco) and Myziane Maolida (four million euros from Nice) came for the offensive.
In addition, the Dutch midfielder Jurgen Ekkelenkamp moved from Ajax Amsterdam to Berlin for three million euros.
It remains to be seen whether Windhorst's great goals can be achieved with them.
