“My time here has been a gift”

Every sportsperson and sporting official has their rituals and defined processes that define them when in the public eye. Some are conscious, others subconscious. Those observing Hertha BSC will notice a certain ritual whenever Pál Dárdai begins his post-match press conferences. Regardless of whether the match was exciting, heated or soporific, the club coach enjoys a word of congratulations at the start of his statement, whether it be praising his team for a good performance or even commending his opponents. Complaining about fate or bearing grudges is not Dárdai’s style. This applies to both his day-to-day sporting life and the upcoming end of his second spell at Hertha BSC – the club which, after his time as a player, he has also made his mark on from the sidelines.

On Saturday, his 1563^rd day in the job, the Hungarian will take charge of his final game for Hertha. It will be a departure from his job, but not from the club. “I don’t feel like I’m leaving and I’m hence not angry or resentful. I’m a Herthaner and will remain a Herthaner”, emphasised Dárdai ahead of the game. “I’m enjoying every moment here at the club and at the ground. We’ve achieved brilliant things here together in the past few years and I’ve been able to experience so much. I’m therefore thankful to Hertha – my time here has been a gift.”

Stability, Pokal success and European adventure

Dárdai’s record at the club underlines his view. Under the Hungarian’s leadership, Hertha steadied the ship and developed into an established Bundesliga side. The club even qualified for European competition twice, as well as reaching the DFB-Pokal semi-finals in 2016 for the first time in 35 years and almost fulfilling the dream of all Hertha fans to play a cup final at home in the Olympiastadion. “Pál has been an important part of the positive development of our club and has earned a great deal of respect from Hertha BSC, not only for being our record-appearance holder, but also for his past few years as coach,” said Michael Preetz. “Four-and-a-half years of very good and constructive cooperation is a very long time in the professional business world.”

A look at the numbers confirms the sporting director's statement. Only former head coaches Helmut 'Fiffi' Kronsbein and Jürgen Röber were in charge longer. They are also the only two to pick up more Bundesliga wins with Hertha than Dárdai (54). "Of course, I'm a little bit proud," said Dárdai, after picking up win number 50 in the second leg against Nürnberg. "But my thanks go to the players, since they are the ones that go out there and win the games!"

Working together in harmony with Widmayer and Hamzagić

This is a saying that’s typical for Pál Dárdai. The 43-year-old takes any chance he can to praise the importance of the work done by his players—and by his fellow coaching staff members, Rainer Widmayer and Admir Hamzagić.“I wouldn’t be able to do my job without the two of them,” Dárdai can often be heard saying. Hamzagić, who previously found success working with Dárdai in Hertha’s youth academy, plays a key role in perfecting the development and training of set pieces. Widmayer, who is responsible for the tactical side of things, confirms the strong connection between the coaches. “We have a really, really strong coaching staff. The tasks are clearly defined and everyone does a great job in their domain,” Widmayer said, while also praising the work of fitness coaches Henrik Kuchno and Hendrik Vieth, as well as goalkeeping coach Zsolt Petry. Widmayer will be returning to his home state after accepting a position with VfB Stuttgart. “Rainer made a mark here and was totally committed to his job. He didn’t decide to leave Hertha, but chose instead to return to his home,” said Michael Preetz. As a result, Widmayer and his colleagues want to make sure to end their partnership on a high note. “If you’ve spent four and a half years with a team, then it’s only natural to have formed a bond,” said the 52-year-old. “We’ve managed to end every season well so far—we want to do the same again this year!”

After going through a bit of a ‘slump’, as Dárdai called it, it seems as though Hertha will be able to do so. Hertha are undefeated in four games in a row, and have managed to pick up two wins in a row against Stuttgart and Augsburg. After a so-so season, Hertha are looking to end on a high against Bayer Leverkusen, in order to reward a successful partnership with a win.

“Blue-and-white blood with a Hungarian heart”

“I will never say anything negative about Hertha BSC. I owe a lot to the club,” said Pál Dárdai. The warm relationship between the head coach and the capital city club runs both ways, according to Michael Preetz. “Pál will remain a big part of the Hertha family even once his time as head coach is over,” Preetz said. Dárdai himself likes to say that he has “blue-and-white blood in his veins, with a Hungarian heart.” After many years with Hertha, Dárdai will take a well-deserved break before taking up any potential future positions within the club. “Hertha BSC is, and will remain, my home,” said Dárdai, who is defined by his sportsmanship and fairness. He will hand over the reins to his successor, Ante Čović.

But before it’s time to do so, the Hungarian will have one last go on Saturday. However, once the final whistle goes, that means it’s time to say goodbye. Dárdai will say his goodbyes to the fans, the team, and the other support staff. Following that, he will sit down for a final post-match press conference in the Olympiastadion. It’s clear what every Hertha fan is hoping for: to see their long-time coach congratulate his team on a strong end to the season. It would be well-deserved after the time they have spent together and the work they have put in. Congratulations will be in order, no matter the result, for a Herthaner who has served the club faithfully. Thank you, Pál!