Hertha updates: Mittelstädt extends contract, Niederlechner carries slight injury
Hertha BSC capped a rather busy media day by announcing that left-back Maximilian Mittelstädt had signed a contract extension good through 2027.
New Hertha striker Florian Niederlechner, at his own introductory press event, also revealed that he was carrying an injury and would not be available for Saturday's match against Bochum.
New Hertha striker Florian Niederlechner, at his own introductory press event, also revealed that he was carrying an injury and would not be available for Saturday's match against Bochum.
| Maximilian Mittelstädt | Hertha BSC |
Hertha sporting CEO Fredi Bobic called Mittelstädt an "identification figure" for the club and praised his abilities. The player himself expressed gratitude to continue on with the club he joined as an academy prospect in 2013 and spoke on his loyalty to his hometown; something Mittelstädt spoke about in great length in an interview released on the club's website.
"I came to the Olympic Park [training ground] as a small, inexperienced boy," Mittelstädt noted, "Now, as a seasoned Bundesliga player, I go to the grounds every day full of motivation! No need for me to emphasize how important Hertha has been to my life. Even when there have been difficult phases, I've always felt the trust of those responsible and the backing of the fans. That drives me to go all-out for our colors."
At another meticulously-planned press roll out at the OlympiaStadion earlier in the day, things went a little askew at the introduction of newly-acquired Hertha striker Florian Niederlechner. The 32-year-old - perhaps understandably a bit tired after a hectic week during which he was unexpectedly summoned away from his long-time home to join a club he planned on joining in the summer - seemed a bit out-of-sorts.
"The past weeks and days were not so easy for me, because I moved within the Bundesliga to a competitor who very near to my old club in the table," Niederlechner noted "I guess I didn't really understand how that would make me feel. The most important conversation was with [head-coach] Sandro Schwarz. He had me immediately. I talked to my agent agent afterwards and okayed the switch."
Niederlechner also revealed that he had picked up a thigh injury during Augsburg's most recent test fixture and would thus be unavailable for Saturday's matchup against Bochum. The veteran striker also sought to temper expectations about his involvement in the team. While saying that he would like to "amass as many scorer points as possible", Niederlechner emphasized that "the team's needs should come first."
The native Bavarian also noted with something of a smirk that, having never played so far north in the Bundesrepublik before, he might also need some time to adjust to Berliner culture and the local dialect. The Ebersberg native spent three-plus seasons playing for Augsburg and maintained a very Bavarian-Swabian lifestyle; right down to his selection for his family's Christmas tree.
