Tayfun Korkut speaks in the press conference.
First team | March 3, 2022, 02:57 PM

“We want to get the fans on our side!”

The 15:30 Saturday kick-off slot: the original and best time to play football in Germany. This weekend, Hertha face Eintracht Frankfurt at exactly this time, and reflecting tradition, the head coach held his press conference ahead of the game at Thursday lunchtime. It was clear to see Tayfun Korkut and Fredi Bobic’s excitement for the match, with up to 25,000 fans allowed into the Olympiastadion, as they spoke to the media. “The lads need to give the fans the feeling that they want to win this game more than any they have ever played in this stadium – more than any of the fans themselves, more than any official, and more than the opponent! That’s how we’ll get the atmosphere going; that’s how we want to get the fans on our side,” said the head coach. Our sporting director is more than familiar with our upcoming opposition and looks back on the win we earned in Frankfurt earlier this season. “Eintracht aren’t on a run of great form, but they’re always dangerous. We need to work and be well-organised, just like we proved we could be in the away game this season. We want to repeat that performance in the Olympiastadion,” underlined Bobic. As ever, the most important news from the pair is here on herthabsc.com.

Tayfun Korkut and Fredi Bobic on...

... the state of the squad:

Tayfun Korkut: I’m not expecting Alexander Schwolow to be available. Marcel Lotka has gone up in the pecking order through his performance in Freiburg, but Oliver Christensen and Nils Körber were on good form in training too. It’ll be a gut decision. I’ve got 23 players to choose from plus three goalkeepers – it’s hard to keep everyone happy, but as a coach I’m happy to be in this position in comparison to, say, two weeks ago. We’re in a better situation now.

... the current sporting situation:

Tayfun Korkut: The team has given the impression that they’ve picked themselves up pretty quickly after the Freiburg game. The fight for positions in the team is there and we can really feel that everyone wants to get involved. Of course, we’re not in a very easy period, but we all know what our responsibilities are and are working with our heads high. We’ve got another chance to turn our lot around and get back to where we actually deserve! We put in good performances in our last two games up to a point, but we couldn’t give ourselves the reward we deserved – we have to persevere and keep raising our commitment. That’s what we want to do to turn our form around, with the support of our fans.

Fredi Bobic: It’s often the little details which decide things in Bundesliga games. We’re working as hard as we can to turn these many small details our way. Every player has to do their bit – that’s the only way you come back from situations like these. Mistakes can happen on the pitch, fine, but then you have to make up for them together. It’s important that the lads have the willingness to sort things out as a group themselves in these final ten games. In large parts of our last few games that’s already been the case, but when it isn’t going so well, you need to have a reaction inside yourself within games. That’s how you get positivity back on your side.

... 25,000 fans being allowed into the Olympiastadion:

Tayfun Korkut: I’m delighted that more fans will be allowed there to support us. The first step has to come from us though: The lads need to give the fans the feeling that they want to win this game more than any they have ever played in this stadium – more than any of the fans themselves, more than any official, and more than the opponent! That’s how we’ll get the atmosphere going; that’s how we want to get the fans on our side.

... Saturday’s opponent:

Fredi Bobic: It’s always nice to see old friends. I had a long and happy time at Eintracht. They will want to take something back to Frankfurt; they aren’t on a run of great form, but they’re always dangerous. We need to work and be well-organised, just like we proved we could be in the away game this season. We want to repeat that performance in the Olympiastadion.

by Hertha BSC