Favre face-off
October 8, 2009
Lucien Favre, who was removed from his position at Hertha Berlin without a win to his name after six Bundesliga starts, has been publicly criticizing the struggling club.
At two private press conferences held this week in Berlin, Favre criticized Hertha's financial and transfer policies while maintaining that it was only a matter of time before the club plunged into disaster.
While sour grapes are nothing new coming from coaches who have been shown the door, Favre remains an employee at Hertha despite being removed from the coaching position.
The 51-year-old Swiss man still has a contract until 2011 and a termination of this contract has yet to be negotiated. All of which means that Favre's comments are being made against his current – rather than previous – employer.
Favre's contract gives public outburst a new twist
"He is still an employee with Hertha BSC, so we will be examining the consequences," Berlin's director of sport Michael Preetz said this week. Preetz added that he was surprised by Favre's comments, especially his criticism of the club's transfer policy.
"Each transfer, each personnel decision was coordinated with Lucien Favre," Preetz stressed.
In reference to the on-going contractual situation with Favre – which could lead to the ex-coach pocketing a cool one million euros in compensation – Preetz added: "We will sit down at a table and discuss the details. However, other circumstances must first be clarified."
Should it be decided that Favre is in breach of contract for the comments he made, the ex-coach, who took Hertha to a fourth place finish last season but to the bottom of the league in the first two months of the current campaign, may have his contract terminated immediately and forego any compensation payment.
Hertha concentrating on rebuilding confidence
Meanwhile, Preetz said that Berlin's main concern right now was not dealing with Favre's contractual complications but to get Hertha back into winning ways under new coach Friedhelm Funkel.
"Funkel will now concentrate on solving the obvious problems among the players," Preetz said. "He is convinced of the quality of the personnel. Their faith in their own strength must now be restored."
nda/dpa/SID
Editor: Sonia Phalnikar