After the dismissal of Nenad Bjelica, Union Berlin’s season has been enriched by another farce. The club has truly earned its place in the table cellar with many wrong decisions.
Union President Dirk Zingler was in a bad mood even before his team’s defeat against VfL Bochum. Minutes before the most important game of the season up to that point, it wasn’t about sport for the Berliners. In the TV interview with “DAZN” he instead had to deny media reports about his coach.
“Kicker” and “Sky” had unanimously reported in the week before the relegation duel against Bochum that a separation by summer at the latest had long been decided. Everything is wrong, Zingler contradicted: “We are committed to Nenad Bjelica.”
Coach has to leave despite profession of loyalty
Barely 24 hours and a 3-4 home defeat later, these words were already forgotten. On Monday morning Bjelica led the substitute training. He was then released in the afternoon. As was the case after the separation from Urs Fischer in the fall, U-19 coach Marco Grote and assistant coach Marie-Louise Eta are taking over on an interim basis.
If you believe the reports from various media, the relationship between coach and team was broken. Allegedly, several players accused Bjelica of old-fashioned speech and antiquated methods. According to “Kicker”, the Croatian often forgoes video analysis.
Unusual indiscretion
The fact that these reports relied on unknown sources in the club’s environment is likely to concern Union boss Zingler even after his dismissal. The club president sees 1. FC Union as a big family. The head of the family therefore takes indiscretion personally.
“Between us, who bear responsibility in the club, and the team, only what we say to each other counts,” he explained before Bjelica’s exit on Sunday. Unlike in the successful years under Urs Fischer, this “among others” no longer applies to everyone at Union.
No peace at Union
Even after coach Bjelica was about to be eliminated for the first time at the end of January due to his attack on Leroy Sane, the “Kicker” Interna reported from the dressing room. Several players were said to have spoken out openly against the Croatian.
When things continued for the coach anyway, Union started a sporting run. After the win against Werder Bremen in mid-March, staying in the league seemed a foregone conclusion. At that time, the Köpenick team were nine points clear of the relegation place.
Still, it wasn’t really quiet. There was discussion about winter newcomer Chris Bedia. The Ivorian came to Union in the winter as the top goalscorer in the Swiss league. Despite his team’s goal drought this calendar year (12 goals in 16 games), he played no role. According to Bjelica, Bedia’s training performances were too poor to field him
Botched transfer phases
Bedia is just one of many transfers in the last two transfer windows that, as things stand, can safely be described as a bad purchase. Central defender Leonardo Bonucci never lived up to expectations and was allowed to leave after six months. David Datro Fofana’s loan was canceled early after disciplinary problems, players like Lucas Tousart, Alex Kral and Mikkel Kaufmann are at best followers.
And the former national players Kevin Volland and Robin Gosens give good interviews, but are often overwhelmed by their tasks on the pitch. Something else is even more serious than the lack of consistency: at no point this season did the impression arise that the team sees itself as a unit.
Panic in the top management
The team only seemed to be united in their rejection of the coach. The players are said to have agreed on their own tactical approaches behind Bjelica’s back. That didn’t do much. In the desolate first half against Bochum, the players once again wandered around the pitch aimlessly.
For the last two games, the club is relying on the coaching effect for the second time in a season. After Zingler’s declaration of loyalty on Sunday, it seems desperate. After all: Marco Grote and Marie-Luise Eta ended a series of ten Bundesliga defeats in their first game as an interim duo in November. Even if they manage to stay in the league, Union will have an uncomfortable summer. The club made too many bad decisions with its staff on and off the pitch.