Hertha chairman: The club was aware of Bobic's flirtation with work in Germany

Hertha Berlin chairman Kay Bernstein said the club was aware that former sporting director Fredi Bobic “was in principle open” to a possible offer from the German football federation (DFB) to accept the post of director of the national team.

“We had several signs that Fredi was in principle open to this topic,” he said on Thursday in an interview posted on the club’s website.

The DFB position became available after Oliver Bierhoff stepped down following his group stage exit at the World Cup in Qatar last December.

However, Bernstein did not say exactly what influence events had on Bobic’s departure from Hertha after just over a year and a half.

“After an unsuccessful start to the new year and also considering the economic situation and the contractual situation, we have decided to make this change now,” he explained.

The chairman said Hertha was presented with an ambitious growth plan when Bobic arrived, but upon “closer scrutiny, in the summer of 2021, a solid foundation was already lacking” for its implementation.

“The board got the impression that, especially in view of the balance of transfers and general sporting development, the confidence in a successful job had evaporated,” said Bernstein.

Bobic was sacked on 28 January and, at the time, Bernstein said speculation about the DFB job had no bearing on the club’s decision.