Andy Becher is the new Erdinger gang boss

Created: 05/01/2022, 10:00 am

By: Wolfgang Krzizok

Welcome to the Gladiators: spokesman David Whitney (right) welcomes the new coach Andy Becher.

Three games against Erding won a one-season contract © Wolfgang Krzizok

Andy Becher is the new trainer of the Erding Gladiators.

Erding – The secret of Thomas "Birdy" Vogl's successor was revealed at the Bavarian ice hockey league's end-of-season party on Saturday evening at the ice rink.

The 47-year-old Becher was most recently in the service of league rivals EHC Königsbrunn, where he was released shortly before the end of the season.

However, his personal record against Erding is impressive: With the EHC he won all three games against the Gladiators.

"That was one of the reasons why we chose him," said Gladiators spokesman David Whitney at the signing.

In addition, the native of Landsberg is considered a man who has a knack for young players.

"This background was also very important to us, because our goal is to eventually get promoted to the premier league - with as many homegrown talents as possible," explains Whitney.

Becher is married and has two sons, Patrick and Julian, the latter is active at EHC Königsbrunn.

The new Erdinger gang boss played almost exclusively in the state league during his playing days after he had gone through all the youth in Landsberg before he turned to the coaching business.

His first stop was at his home in Türkheim before he went to Landsberg for five years.

"In the beginning in the lower range, very young children, young children, boys, then the youth Bundesliga," he says.

This was followed by the change to the young panthers of the Augsburger EV.

After a year with the boys, he was responsible for the youth Bundesliga team for six years and for the DNL team for one season.

Last youth station, from 2015, was ESV Kaufbeuren.

One year in the student Bundesliga, then U20 and DNL was Becher's area of ​​responsibility.

“I liked working in the junior division,” says the 47-year-old.

"In particular, introducing the 17, 18, 19-year-olds to the adult sector was a fulfillment for me as a trainer." From 2011 to 2018, the man from Landsberg also worked as a BEV state trainer.

Two years ago, his friend Waldemar Dietrich, who was a coach at EHC Königsbrunn, brought him to the penguins.

"In the beginning I supported Waldi, the next year it was the other way around," says A license holder Becher.

From October 2021 he was solely responsible for the Bayernliga team after Dietrich had to say goodbye for professional and private reasons.

After the main round, Königsbrunn and Erding were tied in ninth place, so they had missed the championship round and had to fight to stay up in the relegation round.

When the penguins were even in danger of relegation, Becher had to go.

"We went to Ulm with a core squad of eleven men, led for a long time, but in the end we ran out of strength and still lost," says the coach.

EHC boss Tim Bertele then "wanted to give new impetus" in the form of a new coach.

In the end, relegation was suspended and no team had to leave the Bayernliga.

"I'm a coach, but a coach at eye level, which means I'm not above the team," is Becher's credo.

"Everyone has to be treated with respect." He used to be very emotional, but is now very calm, he adds.

His impression of the Gladiators last season was: "A solid environment, a very homogeneous and qualitatively good squad with three very good ranks." Before the season "I would have put Erding in the top three".

He sees it as one of his tasks, but also as a challenge, "to integrate young players from our own youth and to inspire young players with prospects that they can develop further here".

That's why he will also be present at the U20 and U17 training sessions whenever possible.

When asked who has influenced him the most in his coaching career so far, Becher doesn't have to think long.

"It was Juha Nokelainen in Kaufburen and Robert Merk, the brother of ex-national goalkeeper Klaus Merk in Augsburg," he emphasizes.

"I learned a lot from both of them in all areas."

The fact that the cooperation has initially only been sealed for one year is entirely in his interests.

"Basically, I only do one-year contracts," emphasizes Andy Becher, who is very much looking forward to his job with the Erding Gladiators.

"I hope it fits like it did in Königsbrunn," he says, adding: "Initially."