Streich and Bobic address different state of clubs ahead of Saturday duel
SC Freiburg trainer Christian Streich politely declined the invitation to engage in a bit of Schadenfreude ahead of his club's visit to Hertha Berlin on Saturday.
Hertha manager Fredi Bobic, on the other hand, acknowledged that his club's opponents on Saturday were a great testament to a consistent football philosophy.
The chaotic state of Hertha BSC isn't something Christian Streich feels comfortable taking advantage of. In point of fact, Breisgau's "cult trainer" outright declined to agree with the proffered thesis that, for some clubs, money cannot buy footballing success.
Hertha manager Fredi Bobic, on the other hand, acknowledged that his club's opponents on Saturday were a great testament to a consistent football philosophy.
"There's a sense of unease in Berlin because a big investment should theoretically produce a big club," Streich noted on Friday, "It's not like that at the moment because it takes time. I have no Schadenfreude about it."
"You can but success," Streich added, "If you work reasonably hard in one direction. If you look at the financiers out there, you have to admit that money can help. That doesn't mean you don't have to work hard, but decent work an a great deal of money can buy you success."
Further pressed about the current state of well financed clubs like Schalke 04 and Hamburger SV, both of which currently play in the 2. Liga, Streich paused in front of journalist Jim Decker of Germany's Kicker magazine.
After carefully calibrating his answer so as not to fall into a trap, Streich defected by simply saying that "money can buy you lots of things."
Small-market Freiburg roll into the country's capital undefeated in the current campaign. New Hertha sporting CEO Fredi Bobic, also asked about the wealth gap between the two teams earlier in the week, answered a little more directly.
"Freiburg has long ceased to be a little Gallic village tucked away in Breisgau," Bobic noted, "They make the most of their opportunities. They have a high level of continuity in both sporting management and in the head-coaching position. I'm not surprised at all that they haven't lost a game yet. When we speak of Freiburg, we're dealing with consistency. They show that on the pitch."