Why Fredi Bobic looks set to swap Frankfurt for Hertha

The reports had been circulating in Germany since the start of February, and more intensely since Monday, but were suddenly confirmed rather unexpectedly on Tuesday evening: Fredi Bobic is set to leave Eintracht Frankfurt after five years at the helm.

The 49-year-old sporting director was appearing a guest on public broadcaster Sportschau following the German Cup quarterfinal between Borussia Mönchengladbach and Borussia Dortmund. He was there to look back on "a year of football during corona" but, when asked about his own future, revealed:

"I don't need to beat around the bush. We were prepared for the situation in which I would leave the club in summer 2021," he said, adding that he actually wanted to leave in summer 2020.

"But then I was asked to stay on to help the club get through the corona season, which I agreed to, for moral reasons more than anything. I said I would see out one more year, so everybody knew really."

Fredi Bobic's high-flying birds

Bobic's most likely destination appears to be big-talking, big-spending but little-achieving Hertha Berlin, currently 15th in the Bundesliga, level on points with Arminia Bielefeld in the relegation play-off spot.

Frankfurt, on the other hand, are fourth, three points clear of Dortmund and genuine contenders to qualify for the Champions League for the first time since losing 7-3 to Real Madrid in the 1960 European Cup final.

Such an achievement would cap a remarkable half decade for Frankfurt under Bobic, who took over in 2016, with the Eagles having just escaped relegation via a play-off against second-division Nuremberg.

One year later, they were in the German Cup final, losing to Dortmund. A year after that, they went a step further and won it, beating Bayern Munich and qualifying for the Europa League and reaching the semifinal. Qualification for the Champions League would guarantee Frankfurt a minimum of €15 million, which would go some way to compensating for a drop in income of up to €70 million incurred by the pandemic.

Big city Bobic

Nevertheless, both from a financial and a sporting perspective, Bobic may feel he's taken Frankfurt as far as he realistically can. The Yugoslavian-born former German international, who began his managerial career at VfB Stuttgart in 2010, is said to enjoy working on "projects," and could feel that he's completed this one.

And while Hertha Berlin may have made headlines for all the wrong reasons in recent seasons, there are several factors which could prove extremely attractive for Bobic, who made 61 appearances for Hertha between 2003-2005, is still a club member and whose family still lives in Berlin.

In addition to the familial aspect, Bobic will be drawn to the potentially limitless financial possibilities in the capital, with millionaire businessman Lars Windhorst's investment in Hertha set to reach €374 million ($451m) by the end of June.

Windhorst's investment has yet to yield any dividends so far, quite the opposite in fact, but the entrepreneur has finally begun making long-term structural changes to turn the "Old Lady" of German football into Berlin's "Big City Club."

After the failed experiment with Jürgen Klinsmann last season, long-serving general manager Michael Preetz also left Hertha in January. Former captain Arne Friedrich took over as sporting director last summer and former Sky TV boss Carsten Schmidt was appointed chief executive in December.

Schmidt is close to Bobic and has identified him as his preferred candidate to take over sporting responsibilities as Director of Sport from next season onwards, edging out alleged interest from Manchester United and West Ham United in England, according to Sportbild.

'The future belongs to Berlin'

Back in Frankfurt, there is said to be internal consternation over Bobic's decision, especially since he signed a contract extension following the cup win in 2018 to keep him at Eintracht until 2023. The Eagles would have liked to have had Bobic on board to help plan for a potential debut season in the Champions League.

"Fredi Bobic informed us of his considerations regarding an end to his contract three weeks ago," said supervisory board chairman Philip Holzer in a statement confirming Bobic's desire to leave. "Talks are not yet concluded and will be continued in mid-May." All parties will be keen to achieve some clarity and start planning for the future.

According to Hertha's current marketing slogan, the latest of "the future belongs to Berlin." They will hope that it also belongs to Bobic.