Report: Hertha restore stability by reinstalling Pal Dardai
German footballing magazine Kicker reports that Hertha BSC are set to reinstall former trainer Pal Dardai as their head coach as soon as Monday.
| Pal Dardai. | Photo: Football.ua/Creative Commons/CC-by-SA 3.0 |
Sources close to the club from Germany's pre-eminent footballing publication indicate that the new choice is, in fact, a very familiar face. Club legend and former long-term trainer Pal Dardai looks set to return to the sidelines.
Dardai coached the Hertha senior side for four full seasons between 2015 and 2019, guiding Germany's alte Dame to 7th, 6th, 10th, and 11th place finishes. The 44-year-old's reappointment constitutes a full repudiation of sorts of the most controversial moves of previous sporting director Michael Preetz's tenure.
Preetz allowed the contract of his former teammate to lapse following the 2018/19 campaign, promoted U23 trainer Ante Covic to the head-coaching position, and effectively handed Dardai a demotion with the vague promise of some future work at the academy.
The Covic era lasted just 12 fixtures. Replacement Jürgen Klinsmann, following disagreements with Preetz, left after just 10 fixtures. Labbadia came on board after interim trainer Alexander Nourri coached four games, himself lasting six matches short of a full season.
A string of four trainers over 18 months evidently leaves the club in search of stability, which they now accomplish by reaching back for the future.
Kicker reports that a full slate of assistant coaches have already been approved and that Dardai will lead his first training session on Tuesday.
