Hertha through and through
Hertha through and through
Pál Dárdai: Some journalists already mentioned it to me. You don’t see that length of time very often in Germany these days.
Dárdai: What makes me proud, is the fact that we’re on a journey and have been for some time. We have a good side and, off the pitch, we have a good transfer policy which has been working well of late. A lot has changed since I started here and that’s a good thing.
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[>]What makes me truly proud is the fact we've started a journey here.[<]
Dárdai: Lucien Favre once said to me: “Don’t become a first team head coach straight away. Start in the youth setup.” I told him that I had no intention of becoming a head coach but he was certain that I would do eventually.
Dárdai: I enjoyed my time in the youth setup. We were Germany U17 champions. I was responsible for the teams from U9s to U15s and we made a lot of changes. We hit the headlines with the U15s not only in Germany but around all of Europe. I also got a lot of experience by working with the Hungary national team which proved to the Hertha management team that I could be of use to this football club in a coaching role. Getting support from the CEO and the club president makes my job a lot easier.
herthabsc.de: You took over the reins while the team was in a relegation scrap…
Dárdai: It was really difficult to influence proceedings to begin with. It was basically impossible to change the tactics, the fitness levels or the team spirit as it was too short notice. We had to react quickly and working with the national team helped me a lot in that regard. As there you hardly have any time with the players and are under enormous pressure to get results. I enjoy being under pressure and I think the players noticed that which helped me gain their trust. The same worked at Hertha and we built a good relationship.
herthabsc.de: The team are facing the challenge of competing in multiple competitions. What difference does that make?
Dárdai: It’s tough because it’s a lot easier when you have a whole week to prepare for an opposition. We don’t have that time now. The club needs to temper our expectations – if you set your standards too high, you will be disappointed.
herthabsc.de: In past weeks, the team has struggled to reward itself for its performances, but that was different against HSV…
Dárdai: It’s been a tough week, but we’ve learned a lot and got some good experience out of it. You have to differentiate between the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and the Europa League. We’re on course in the league. The team responded to the cup defeat very well against HSV. I’m not sure we would have managed that a couple of years ago.
herthabsc.de: You worked under a lot of managers as a player. Who taught you the most?
Dárdai: I learned a lot about pedagogy from Hans Meyer. I have always though Dutch football has done very well cultivating youth talent, but Germany has also come a long way in that department. I picked up a lot from the Hungary head coach, Erwin Koeman, and also from Huub Stevens and Lucien Favre in terms of their tactical knowledge.
herthabsc.de: How much do we see your personal experience reflected in the team’s training sessions?
Dárdai: It all comes from my experience as a youth coach, but our work depends on Rainer Widmayer and Admir Hamzagic, too. I couldn’t do it without them. Zsolt Petry is also indispensable as our goalkeeper coach and both fitness coaches Henrik Kuchno and Hendrik Vieth. We work very well together.
herthabsc.de: Would head coach Pál Dárdai pick Pál Dárdai, the player, in his team?
Dárdai: I was never the biggest talent, though I was comfortable on the ball, could read the game well and had a lot of determination. I was good at organising the team on the pitch. I never got much game time under a new head coach, but then after five matches, I would start getting in the side. A half year later, the head coach would ask, Pál, how are we going to approach the game today? I learned a lot from those discussions. There was always room in the team for those kinds of players. Per Skjelbred has that kind of role in our team.
herthabsc.de: Did you have an idol when you were playing?
Dárdai: My idol was always my father. I used to have three photos hanging above my desk: Lothar Matthäus when he was at Bayern, Pelé, who was fantastically athletic even when he was very young, and then Maradona. Above those was a poster of my father, who played in the top division in Hungary. He was my idol because he was one of those people who always wanted to win.
herthabsc.de: And amongst Hertha players?
Dárdai: For me, Ete Beer was the clear Hertha star. I never knew him – I only knew Hertha’s Zoltan Varga when I was in Hungary – but I read a lot about him. What he achieved in his career at Hertha was incredible. And, of course, he wore the number 8.
herthabsc.de: You’ve experienced a fair amount yourself at Hertha, both as a player and as a head coach. What is your best memory at the club?
Dárdai: The game against Milan in the Champions League. That was something really special – to defeat one of the biggest clubs in Europe. Even though I got injured and had to be operated on after that match, it still remains a sensational game.
herthabsc.de: And how about in the future? Maybe a DFB-Pokal final?
Dárdai: Yes, it’s very frustrating to not be in it anymore after Dortmund and Bayern were drawn against each other. We have to accept the result and try again next season.
herthabsc.de: What hope and dreams do you have for the next 1,000 days
Dárdai: I hope for stability at the club and that everyone stays fit and healthy.