Special Moments — The Nearly Man Throws Away the Championship
It was well-meant advice from a television reporter after the 2:1 win away at Köln: best not open a newspaper in the next few days.
Unforgettable Moments
It was well-meant advice from a television reporter
It was well-meant advice from a television reporter after the 2:1 win away at Köln: best not open a newspaper in the next few days.
after the 2:1 win away at Köln: best not open a newspaper in the next few days. The euphoria surrounding Hertha’s players in Berlin in May 2009 seemed too big, too dangerous. A BILD reporter had already marched through the Brandenburg Gate carrying a copy of the Meisterschale just in case.
When the Berliners last won the championship in
When the Berliners last won the championship in 1931, Germany was in the middle of the global economic crisis and the trophy was still the Viktoria, not the modern shield.
1931, Germany was in the middle of the global economic crisis and the trophy was still the Viktoria, not the modern shield. During the Bundesliga era Hertha became the first great scandal club of German football. For decades.
The triumphant promotion of 1997 seemed to shake that image. Hertha drew more than 75,000 for major games against Dortmund, Bayern and Kaiserslautern and in 1998/99 reached the Champions League for the first time by finishing third. The team under Jürgen Röber showed Europe that Germany’s capital did, after all, exist on the football map.
Things looked very different in 2008. The equivalent
Things looked very different in 2008.
of 15 million euros in start-up support that Hertha had received from the Bertelsmann subsidiary UFA since 1994 for the club’s sporting renaissance had been used up. Manager Dieter Hoeneß made one last attempt, bringing in stars for nearly 25 million euros in two waves for the previously unknown Swiss coach Lucien Favre. With Raffael and Steve von Bergen, Hertha had effectively plundered FC Zürich; Gojko Kacar came from Vojvodina Novi Sad.
The most glamorous player was loan striker Andriy Voronin from Liverpool.
Dramatic Turning Points
With excellent defensive work, the best defense in
With excellent defensive work, the best defense in the league alongside Wolfsburg, huge running power and almost perfect transition football, Berlin stunned the Bundesliga.
the league alongside Wolfsburg, huge running power and almost perfect transition football, Berlin stunned the Bundesliga. On Matchday 20, two Voronin goals gave them a 2:1 win over Bayern in a sold-out Olympiastadion and sent them top of the table. After Matchday 25 they were top again with 49 points, a point ahead of Wolfsburg, Bayern and Hamburg.
The long-awaited leap into the circle of the very biggest looked as if it had finally happened.
After Matchday 32 and a win in Cologne,
After Matchday 32 and a win in Cologne, Hertha were back within a point of leaders Wolfsburg and Bayern.
Hertha were back within a point of leaders Wolfsburg and Bayern. The run-in looked manageable, with Schalke and bottom club Karlsruhe still to come. The hype in the capital was almost tangible.
Yet on Matchday 33 the dream ended. Favre’s side drew 0:0 with Schalke, failed to beat Manuel Neuer and their own nerves, and knew the title was gone. They remained fourth after the final day – not enough for the Champions League in that era.
What made it stranger was that Favre publicly
What made it stranger was that Favre publicly downgraded the goal to a UEFA Cup place while his side were still in the thick of the title race.
downgraded the goal to a UEFA Cup place while his side were still in the thick of the title race. In the summer of 2009 Dieter Hoeneß left after a long conflict with president Werner Gegenbauer and coach Favre. Former Hertha striker and novice manager Michael Preetz took over.
Selling defensive leader Josip Simunic for seven million euros to Hoffenheim proved an enormous sporting mistake. Marko Pantelic left on a free transfer, Voronin returned to Liverpool. The hard-won new beginning collapsed.
The scrappy 1:0 win over Hannover on the
The scrappy 1:0 win over Hannover on the opening day of 2009/10 remained the only bright spot for a long time.
opening day of 2009/10 remained the only bright spot for a long time. Eight straight defeats followed, then 17 winless games in a row. In October 2009 Favre threw in the towel.
Preetz chose Friedhelm Funkel as his replacement – another bad call. Hertha became a laughing stock, spent from Matchday 6 to Matchday 34 rooted to last place, and were relegated. No missed chance hurt as much, or proved as costly, as the championship chance squandered the year before.
Lucien Favre’s wasted title challenge as the Nearly
Lucien Favre’s wasted title challenge as the Nearly Man is a very special moment in Hertha BSC history....
Man is a very special moment in Hertha BSC history.