Hütter: “An emotional moment”

Following Saturday’s win against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, Borussia and Adi Hütter announced that they would part ways at the end of the 2021/22 season. The 52-year-old took part in a press conference where he answered questions from the media about the decision. Read on for a summary of all the key quotes.

Adi Hütter on…

…the reasons behind the decision: There wasn’t one factor that led us to this decision, instead it was several things. It wasn’t plain sailing, not even when I arrived here last summer. Then there was the situation with Max, which also hit me hard. We had a lot of injuries, a few heavy defeats and the losses in the derby. All these things had an impact.  

…the decision-making process: It’s always important to host a thorough analysis at the end of the season. We sat down together to do just that over the last days and weeks, and tried to find the reasons for why we failed to achieve the goals we had set for ourselves. After several productive talks, we then concluded that we would go our separate ways. It’s too bad and I would also like to apologise that we didn’t meet mine or the club’s expectations.

…the discussions with the club: The discussions were very productive and respectful, which I would like to thank the club for. It definitely wasn’t an easy situation for Roland, as he has only been sporting director for two months now. I would like to acknowledge the manner in which both he and Stephan Schippers worked together with my agent in order to find a fitting solution for this situation.

…the reaction within the team: Shortly after the final whistle, I went into the dressing room because I wanted to let the team know first before I went out to the media. The lads all stood up and clapped. That’s was really emotional, because it showed that I didn’t do everything wrong. It was an emotional moment, and one that will stay with me.

…self-criticism: Looking back, I think I definitely could have done better at times. I would be the last to say that it wasn’t my fault. In the end, I am responsible for what happens on the pitch. This season wasn’t good enough and that’s why we are now both dealing with the consequences.

…working with the young players at Borussia: In general, there’s a strong foundation there. I’m happy that I wasn’t afraid of giving young players a chance. If you look closely, you’ll see that our rebuild began last summer already. I’m proud of the fact that we were able to bring some 18 year olds into our team, during what was a tough period. Borussia Mönchengladbach have a hidden gem in Manu Koné, and he will only get better. We also brought Jordan Beyer into the team and gave Conor Noß some playing time.

…his plans for the future: First and foremost, I’m looking forward to having some time off and to spend it with family and friends. I have worked nonstop for nearly 14 years now, which is why I don’t currently have any plans for the future.