Hertha without Rogel and Kenny against Union
After a disastrous start to the new calendar year, Hertha BSC must do without two of their regular starting defenders against cross-town rivals 1. FC Union Berlin on Saturday.
Head-coach Sandro Schwarz and club sporting CEO Fredi Bobic spoke on the state of the team at a Thursday presser.
Head-coach Sandro Schwarz and club sporting CEO Fredi Bobic spoke on the state of the team at a Thursday presser.
Schwarz offered up strong hints on who would replace his two starters. Filip Uremovic and Peter Pekarik - the two players who replaced the injured duo - will likely get the nod. Schwarz nevertheless didn't rule out using youngster Julian Eitschberger at right back or giving Marton Dardai the go alongside Marc Oliver Kempf in central defense. Schwarz noted that a change in his tactical system also remains possible.
If there was a spot of good news to report, it concerned the fact that newly acquired striker Florian Niederlechner might be available for the first time after shaking off a light injury. Hertha still can't be considered favorites to collect their first points since play resumed after the winter break. The losses to Bochum and Wolfsburg mean that the Charlottenburg side have been defeated by a combined 1-8 scoreline.
Club sporting CEO Fredi Bobic - also at the presser - added more criticism to the teams recent play. After calling the most recent defeat "embarrassing", Bobic found more choice words to describe the current feeling at the club. Bobic did wish to emphasize that - at the halfway point of the season - there still "remains a lot of football to be played."
"What we witnessed on the pitch during the first half on Tuesday was just inexplicable," Bobic noted, "We couldn't have predicted that it would unfold for us in this fashion."
"It was an absolute shock," Schwarz added, "We got a rude awakening. I didn't chastise the guys in the locker room. We're dealing with the situation appropriately and self-critically. No one is in a good mood. We still have a fantastic opportunity to turn this around in the derby."
