Vedad and Davie: A tale of two strikers

Hertha's two main strikers discuss learning and helping one another as they plot further goals for the remainder of the Bundesliga season.

Berlin- Vedad Ibisevic and Davie Selke. Two names which have connotations with being a threat to goal. Two strikers with similar qualities, who also share many differences. “We’re not quite the same people, but we both know how to occupy a penalty area. He’s younger and I’m older,” laughed Ibisevic. “The coach already knows how he plans to use us, whether he wants us to play together or not. The success of the team is most important.” The two are yet to play together on the pitch- though that hasn’t always been because of the Pal Dardai’s decision making. Davie Selke missed much of the first period of the season after missing pre-season with injury.

It was a trying time for the new man from Leipzig. “Waiting was very hard, because I just wanted to prove myself. During Rehab you’re just working on your own, but Thomas Senneweld and Michael Becker looked after me so well,” said a reminiscent Selke, looking  back on his time on the sidelines. Four goals in the last five games has seen the 22-year-old come back into form and he is getting fitter all the time too. “I hope to be back at 100% after the international break.”

Selke was able to secure a point for Hertha in a crazy game away at Wolfsburg after coming off the bench last week. “That was a crazy game, one of the craziest I have ever experienced. I’m glad the ball came back to me after my first attempt and we could take a point with us back to Berlin. Ibisevic was also on the pitch at this point, having given his side the lead after less than twenty seconds, ending his goal drought in the process. “Every striker goes through a phase like this. The ball came to him perfectly and he just had to finish it off. You try everything but sometimes the ball just won’t go in. Pal Dardai is someone who puts trust into his players and you could see that with Vedad ending his goalless run.  

The support of thecoaching staff is also helping to spur Selke on – another important factor fort he youngster. “I have to be able to feel trust in me. Pal showed that in me from the beginning and that is why I chose Hertha and I have tried to repay that since.” The same goes for the development of other young players in Blue and White – such as Marvin Plattenhardt, Niklas Stark and Mitchell Wesier. “Mitch has had a similar career path to me and has developed so well,” said Hertha’s number 27, who has experienced playing with Weiser before at under-21 level on an international stage. The number of youngsters developing at Hertha has also impressed captain Ibisevic. “I am delighted for young players like Davie and I see it as an interesting exercise to be able to help them develop yet further.

Neither striker sees the other as competition going forward. “I can see our forwards doing a lot. When you have scored over 100 Bundesliga goals it goes without saying how much quality you have,“ said Selke, a sentiment Ibisevic was happy to return to his younger counterpart: „It’s great for the team that we have someone of his talents – particularly in front of goal - despite being so young. Monday will see the start of the final push in the run-in to Christmas , with Hertha looking to continue improving in both the Bundesliga and the Champions League and the double act of Ibisevic/Selke are both raring to go to see who gets on the scoresheet, as well as hoping they might line-up together in a starting XI one day soon: “It would be great if we could both be involved more at the same time – it definitely seemed to work well in Wolfsburg.”