Hertha turn focus to Academy after Bobic ousted as MD of Sport

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by Jonathan Rest

Hertha BSC have sacked Fredi Bobic as Managing Director of Sport, with former Head of Academy Benjamin Weber returning to the club to succeed him.

The academy is a fundamental part of the club that Benjamin Weber helped to establish. He embodies the Hertha DNA and is an absolute for the role. Benny suggested Zecke Neuendorf for the role of directing the academy and first team... In Benny and Zecke, we have two people who people can identify with who live for Hertha. That’s exactly what we need.

Kay Bernstein

President, Hertha BSC

Bobic, who was dismissed following the 2-0 Berlin derby defeat to Union, joined the club from Eintracht Frankfurt at the beginning of the 2021-22 season.

Prior to joining Eintracht in 2016, Bobic was first Director of Football and then Sporting CEO at VfB Stuttgart.

Weber worked in various roles at Hertha, most recently as Head of the Academy, before leaving in February 2022.

He will work closely with Andreas 'Zecke' Neuendorf, who has been promoted to Director of Academy and First Team Football, indicating there will be a greater focus on youth team products.

Hertha President Kay Bernstein said: "This was not a knee-jerk reaction. Fredi Bobic came to our club a year and a half ago under circumstances that are different to those we’re in now. We want to continue the transformation process that he began.

"Therefore, this is not a decision against Fredi Bobic, but rather in favour of a direction for Hertha that our economic framework also forces us to take. We have to make a virtue out of necessity."

He continued: "The academy is a fundamental part of the club that Benjamin Weber helped to establish. He embodies the Hertha DNA and is an absolute for the role. Benny suggested Zecke Neuendorf for the role of directing the academy and first team. He bleeds Hertha blue and gets people on board. In Benny and Zecke, we have two people who people can identify with who live for Hertha. That’s exactly what we need."

Former Hertha Sporting Director Arne Friedrich was a guest speaker at the TransferRoom Virtual Summit in November 2021, where he shared his insights on leadership and player welfare. That interview can be watched here.

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