Knows where to go: Bochum’s new coach Dieter Hecking (r.).
Photo: imago/Sven Simon
Age wisdom is no longer the most sought-after quality in German football, where more and more head coaches are being hired around 40 and Xabi Alonso won the double with his first professional club at the age of 42. It would be wrong to say that the young Alonso, who may soon take over Real Madrid, looked pale next to his 60-year-old colleague Dieter Hecking on Saturday after Bayer Leverkusen’s 1-1 draw. He was definitely more helpless.
While the Spanish super coach cannot solve the problems of his team, which has only won one of its last six games, Hecking radiated the calm of a Tibetan monk. Within a few days he achieved a small miracle in Bochum: he managed to transform a team that had completely collapsed into a functioning team. With means that are often underestimated. After the game, Hecking also talked about giving his team “structure,” but when specifically asked about his main measures, he reported that he had used “pressure.” “I said: If you play a good game and we get something else, then there will be two days off because I want to go home to my sisters at the Soest fair this evening,” he said. “They gave me that because they knew: The old man wanted two days off, to go to the fair and drink a beer.”
That was more than a nice anecdote. Because Dieter Hecking’s effectiveness lies – beyond all specialist knowledge – in his inner peace, in his life experience. He has experienced more than 400 Bundesliga games as a coach, more than any other current Bundesliga coach. He no longer has to prove anything to anyone; he doesn’t care about superficial impressions. The Westphalian, who was born in Castrop-Rauxel, is no longer dependent on the extreme emotional swings of everyday life: instead of the future of a club and survival in a league, it’s about the simple, concrete things. “He gave us positive security,” said winger Gerrit Holtmann after by far VfL Bochum’s best performance this season.
The goal with which Koji Miyoshi equalized Patrik Schick’s early Leverkusen lead in the 89th minute required a fair amount of luck, but the goal was also the result of an excellent second half and a final phase in which the bottom of the table defeated the German champions had complete control. “We implemented what the coach asked of us from the start,” reported captain Anthony Losilla, and “we saw that everyone worked for everyone else.”
The ease and self-confidence were back, which was quite astonishing after Bochum were the worst team ever in the Bundesliga after nine matchdays just a week ago. Hecking said that the late equalizer had “triggered an explosion in the team,” and the fans, whose hard core had considered a boycott just a few days ago, chanted: “VfL is back!” and “Never again second.” League”. Bochum is reconciled for the time being. “The way our fans pushed us was amazing once again,” said Losilla. “I missed this incredible atmosphere in the stadium after the final whistle.”
Hecking has woken up the club, whose managers had previously considered postponing the coaching change that took place a week ago by a week into the international match phase that is now beginning. In order to prevent Hecking’s work from being directly burdened with a hard defeat. The new boss rejected this offer, he wanted to get started straight away and quickly said that a win against the champions from the Rhine was conceivable.
When the general euphoria slowly faded, the old stoic admitted at some point that he was already nervous, he talked about “armpit sweat” and the need for a shower. But that also seemed somehow confident. Just like his admission before the game that he fell asleep after a quarter of an hour of Leverkusen’s Champions League game in Liverpool last Tuesday. Other coaches would never have admitted something like that; after all, it is part of the coach’s duty to study the upcoming opponent. But Hecking not only embodies a pleasant thoughtfulness, but also a freedom of speech that is very good for VfL Bochum, which has recently been so tense. “However,” Hecking said at the end, “it was only the first point today. We need this 24 times.”