Hanover. Fredi Bobic saved 96, then just promoted, from being relegated to the Bundesliga with 14 goals in the 2002/2003 season. Bobic has been sports director of Hertha BSC since 2021. On Friday (3 p.m.) 96 will play against Hertha in a friendly. In an interview, Bobic talks about his former club and his current work in Berlin. The 51-year-old ex-national player (European champion 1996) also has a clear opinion of the German national team at the World Cup in Qatar.

Two games, one point – but with a win against Costa Rica, Germany can still grab the World Cup round of 16. How good is our national team at the moment?

The constellation helps the group to great tension. Even Costa Rica can progress with a 0-0 draw against Germany if Japan loses to Spain at the same time. A lot of people don’t even realize that. But we have a good starting position because we’re playing against the weakest opponent in the group, who still have three points with a shot on goal. But I’m convinced that Germany will seize its chance.

Against Costa Rica “it could very well happen” with filling pitcher

As a TV expert after the Japan debacle, you had called for Germany to play more physically, more compactly in midfield. This is against Spain with a slightly different line-up. Is this now the eleven that can take us far at this World Cup?

What matters is not who plays, but how they play. Against Spain they played much better and more aggressively against the ball. They made the yards they need to make against Japan. The whole body language and also the togetherness on the pitch was much more decisive. But I don’t think that exactly this team has to play against Costa Rica now because we will have a deep opponent who doesn’t do anything for the game – except destroy it. You need other types of players who can resolve this difficult situation.

Even with Niclas Füllkrug right from the start?

Niclas Füllkrug can become an important role player. Not necessarily as one who always plays from the beginning, as other experts are already demanding. But as someone who comes in in the 60th or 70th minute when the opposing team might be a bit tired. But then he must also be believert accordingly. However, he could start against Costa Rica because I assume that we need someone who is definitely physically present in the penalty area. Because there will be little space. And that’s where a player who’s also very good in the air is very important. In this game, it could very well fit.

How do you see Füllkrug’s development?

He has a great run. Nobody doubted its quality. He’s a good Bundesliga striker. And the fact that he can now take that over to the national team, that it’s a matter of course to score goals, that’s something we, as fans, are particularly pleased about.

For the Spaniards, Germany is a world-class team and therefore one of the favorites for the World Cup title. Are they exaggerating a bit because they didn’t win against us?

“Germany still has a good name in world football”

I know how they think about the German team abroad. There is still a lot more respect than here in Germany. We don’t necessarily have to hide and make ourselves small or be extremely critical of something. Of course, success is something you want to measure by titles. But we have to respect the fact that the others have caught up and can also play football. Despite everything, Germany still has a really good name in world football. The others respect us. The fact that we haven’t performed quite as well in the last tournaments may also be due to the fact that the team is developing, that the younger players are moving up – and they also have to gain experience. See Spain, who also had a major upheaval after the successful period.

Crisis management was also required off the field. The discussion about the “One Love” captain’s armband was carried out in Germany right up to politics.

The media would not have allowed the discussion to end. Actually, the DFB dealt with it very transparently, only withdrew when the others had withdrawn – and because there could also be penalties. This shows that Fifa is not up to date. But I can’t understand why we made the topic so big, bigger than everyone else.

System Fifa: “The Europeans alone cannot change anything”

Can you continue to make yourself dependent on Fifa?

We will not be able to abolish FIFA. It is obvious to me that the Fifa system must be questioned more and more – after Blatter things have not gotten any better with Infantino, on the contrary. This system works primarily because the Fifa President has the other continents under control. But the Europeans alone cannot change anything. Whether Germany or the Fitschi Islands – everyone has exactly one vote.

How far does this World Cup go for us?

You have to win against Costa Rica, there’s no excuse for that. As I said: if Costa Rica draw 0-0 against us, play and don’t even shoot at goal, they could reach the round of 16 with a shot on target. I think the scenario is sensational (laughs). But of course that would be cruel for football. If we should be eliminated anyway, there can also be malice and criticism. But when we’ve made progress, there’s a big head like: Hey, we were almost gone and came back. Then it can take you far. By the finals, you can get opponents that are on par and doable.

“We got some peace here at Hertha BSC”

Back to the Bundesliga. Did you imagine your job at Hertha to be easier? Last season you had to get coach Felix Magath to avoid relegation. Hertha are currently in 15th place with new coach Sandro Schwarz with 14 points from 15 games.

Of course, I have enough experience to know that not all books will be opened to me before I accept. So there have been a few surprises. But we’re on a consolidation course, which means that you have to be patient and create a clear strategy on how we can achieve sporting quality despite our economic dilemma. And also how the new structures can take hold even better, so that the players get better and we get the corresponding results.

Investor Lars Windhorst is said to have now found a buyer for his Hertha shares – the Miami-based investment company 777 Partners, which already holds shares in European clubs such as FC Sevilla, Standard Liège and CFC Genoa.

We were happy about this news. As agreed and contractually regulated, we will now take our time to deal with this topic.

Bobic over 96: “This team has a future”

In Kay Bernstein, Hertha has a president who comes from the ultra camp. Unusual. How do you get along with him?

He settled in very well. He does it in a calm, very empathetic way. We work together in a spirit of trust. He has a successful event agency and shouldn’t have done it himself. He does it because he loves and lives the club. We have calmed down here at Hertha BSC and that is what helps us all in our daily work and is also fun at the end of the day.

This basis between the professional department and the President Sebastian Kramer does not exist in Hanover. Here it is again about 50+1 and apparently also about the license.

Of course we all look closely at what is happening there. The only tip I can give 96 is that it’s always better to work together than against each other. I can also see that from the perspective of last season here in Berlin: If you don’t work together in one direction, you have a problem. You will notice that in your athletic performance.

2002 at Hannover 96: Fredi Bobic with coach Ralf Rangnick (left) and sports director Ricardo Moar.

© Source: Imago

How do you rate 96 – purely sporty?

Absolutely positive. Getting Stefan Leitl as a coach is a first plus. And then they hired a sports director who was not so well known at first, but who has an incredibly high reputation in the industry and with whom I always like to talk. This team has a future. There’s potential. I believe that Marcus Mann is on the right, calm path. As long as you don’t trip yourself. One should always think more about the club than about self-interest. At Hertha we are now out of this trap and are going down a path.

What is Hertha’s goal for this season?

The development and achievements have so far been recognized as positive by all. Our shortcoming was that we rewarded ourselves with too few points. We will do everything we can to play a carefree season, but we also have to accept that we are currently in a situation where things aren’t so nice. But we’re playing football that’s definitely going in the right direction. Now we want to get the reward in the form of points in the remaining 19 games of the season.