The Hoffenheim coach
Ilzer: “It was like when I was a little boy!”
2024 was a sensational year for Christian Ilzer ++ Double, Champions League, transfer, also Coach of the Year ++ He talks to the "Krone" about successes, goals, home and his heir!
"Thank God we can switch to Styrian," Hoffenheim coach Christian Ilzer laughs at the start of the interview. Don't get me wrong, the 47-year-old East Styrian has no language barriers to overcome. But a conversation about Sturm and his personal year triggers feelings in the Graz champion coach that can be expressed very well in his usual dialect.
"... just like me back then as a little boy!"
"I am simply extremely grateful for what we have achieved. At the club where I learned to love soccer as a fan. We've also taken so many people on this journey with us who, like me back then as a little boy, have gained a love of soccer and this club through us. That's very special." He continues: "If I and my team now manage to establish ourselves in this top league, then that would be something else to be proud of."
Ilzer is not yet "established" at the current German stragglers after just one win in eight competitive matches. Pure relegation battle awaits the former Champions League coach. "But our day-to-day work is very productive," says Ilzer, "there's a lot of energy and drive in there. Of course you want better results, but you can see a development. The first goal now has to be to get away from the relegation places. The second is to make this path, which we want to take, second nature to everyone here." Ilzer implemented this approach at his very first coaching position. At home with USK Puch.
A huge privilege
"Hoffenheim is a bit like Puch," Ilzer winks at the district in Baden-Württemberg, which has just over 3,000 inhabitants. "The only difference is that in Puch you can see a sports field from my parents' house in the valley, but here in Hoffenheim in this valley there are six or seven pitches and one of the most modern training centers in soccer in Germany. It's really impressive what Dietmar Hopp (note: entrepreneur and patron of TSG Hoffenheim) has built here. This is not just about opportunities in top-level soccer. He has built state-of-the-art children's playgrounds in every town and bought small sports clubs buses for their youth teams. It's amazing what he does for the community here. Being able to work here is a huge privilege," enthuses Ilzer, who has already met billionaire Hopp in person.
Ilzer can only enjoy the break until January 2nd, with the first home game against Wolfsburg on the 11th. Of course, he still has his eye on his former club Sturm.
"Please vote for Jürgen!"
"I'm really happy for Jürgen Säumel that he's the coach. That's the right way for a club. They say you need consistency for players who are supposed to make it to the top via the academy. That should also apply to coaches!" says Ilzer, who is the defending champion in the "Krone" vote for tipp3 Coach of the Year - and can be voted for again. "But I ask all Sturm fans: collect for Jürgen Säumel!"
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