© IMAGO/Eibner
“Freiburg” coach Christian Streich spoke extensively about the current coaching situation in the Bundesliga at a press conference.
“Stuttgart” has already changed head coach twice this season, while other teams – only once. In the Bundesliga, 39 percent of coaches who started the season lost their jobs. As an example, the situation in “Ligue 1” is even worse. 11 head coaches lost their jobs during the season, more than 50 percent. “Serie A” has 8 such unfortunate coaches, while in the Premier League, the numbers are record-breaking. Even 12 strategists were dismissed, and currently sitting on the hot seats are David Moyes and Steve Cooper.
As the pressure is not easy at all, that’s what Marco Rose, Leipzig coach, mentioned. He said that he feels like it's the end of the world in the club due to the team's declining form.
“Sport1” journalist Martin Quastas asked C. Streich at the press conference a question about the general coach situation: “Bayern” dismissed their coach because the season's goals were uncertain. Marco Rose from Leipzig, eight seasons just before the season ends, talks about how he feels like it's the end of the world in the club. Sandro Schwarz, coach of “Hertha,” has been somewhat controversial in media and among fans for several weeks. “Stuttgart” hired its third coach this season. The current average coaching tenure is about 1 year. Only you and a few other coaches are working a bit longer. Of course, you are exceptional because you are not tied to the hire-and-fire philosophy. How do you view these events? Can you understand Marco Rose's words? Even if they are in the cup semi-final and fifth in the Bundesliga, a bit behind the “Freiburg” team. How do you see the coach situation in the Bundesliga currently?”
The 57-year-old strategist's response was very long and insightful.
“Pressure is inhuman. However, it's normal because the pressure in society is like that. Society is constantly glued to television, and most people love soccer... although catastrophic things happen in it. Tragic things. But at the same time, it's a reflection of society.
Pressure is immense. If we speak in terms of that, ask the people responsible for cleaning hotel rooms, who clean the rooms. Ask them how long they have to clean the rooms. Everything is individualized. Rarely in life is there a chain of connections. I mean, in the past, hotels were usually managed by one family. You knew those people who worked there. From villages to cities. You knew them. There were relationships. Over decades, everything went through the family.
Currently, everything is different. We live in the world of big corporations. We have many problems. We always talk about the middle class. Small and medium-sized businesses are struggling a lot now, but the middle class has brought us to this incredible prosperity and wealth; not large companies did that. Large companies ruin everything. They hinder prosperity. They became independent. And in soccer, you can see it directly.
It's very complex, given how everything developed. We have countless people who suffer from psychological illnesses. These people suffer from psychological illnesses because they are completely burnt out, because they no longer receive warmth, support, because there are no longer reference points, no connection. This is a societal problem. It unsettles me. It's frightening.
I don't want to speak for all coaches. It just doesn't affect me directly, so I can't say anything. You need to talk to coaches who did a good job but were still fired after eight, ten, twelve, or four months.
Soccer has always been a reflection of society. Sports directors also face immense pressure. It’s insane. Because there is no connection with others. Social networks... a club loses two, three matches, and people immediately lose patience, start pouring out bitterness on social networks, that's terrible. That wasn’t the case before, at least not to this level. It's not that people used to be better before, definitely not. We weren't any better. And there were definitely worse times before, 80 years ago or even earlier.
Missing reference points, support. If you know someone personally, you think about it beforehand. The further you go, the more you lack face-to-face conversation. Of course, we are a big company ourselves, if we're honest. It doesn't sound as attractive, as we are a football club, but at the same time, a company. Nevertheless, it works differently with us. We have continuity because we have connections within the club. As I said. The most important thing will be how we deal with growth. Will we be able to come to the same decisions and manage together.
Where everything is different, everything goes downhill. Of course, large companies exist nowadays... small companies pay all their taxes, and that's fair, of course. Because they have to support society. But large companies rarely pay taxes, and when they have to pay them, it starts changing governments and blackmail. That's the situation. Neo-capitalism. We live in neo-capitalism. That's my personal opinion. Of course, I'm just a football coach. Because I was asked this question, I gave my answer,” concluded C. Streich after a long monologue.
The experienced specialist has been leading the main “Freiburg” team for 12 years now and has been with the club for 28 years in total.
