It’s been almost exactly seven weeks since Rune Jarstein experienced his presumably last emotional moment at and with Hertha BSC. At least that’s what many thought.
Seven weeks ago, the goalkeeper from Norway celebrated his comeback on the soccer field in a friendly against Babelsberg 03 after a 468-day break – after a corona infection and intensive care, after heart muscle inflammation and a knee injury.
The whole club was happy for the 37-year-old, the fans celebrated him, and if Jarstein wasn’t number one at Hertha BSC for the upcoming season, then at least he was number one in hearts.
On Friday, one day before Hertha’s important Bundesliga game against Eintracht Frankfurt, things apparently got pretty emotional again. And again Rune Jarstein was in the center of the action.
The exact processes are not yet publicly known because they happened during the non-public final training session. However, the “Bild” newspaper reported that Jarstein had complained about the work of goalkeeping coach Andreas Menger and was subsequently removed from the squad for the game against Frankfurt.
Apparently the matter is not over yet.
“It’s a pity that it came out,” said Fredi Bobic on Sunday at the edge of the training ground. The substitutes train, Jarstein is not there. And it is unlikely that he will return, despite his contract, which runs until the end of the season. “Not usually,” says Hertha’s sporting director Bobic.
Actually, everything could have been so beautiful. The day before, Hertha BSC scored the first point of the season with a 1-1 win against Europa League winners Frankfurt. Above all, the team has shown a significant improvement in performance after the two opening defeats.
But instead of taking a deep breath and looking forward to it, Fredi Bobic finds himself forced to intervene again the next morning in the form of an improvised media round.
“Something happened that is definitely not on the agenda. It was a bit tougher,” he says. “It’s hard for me to understand how people act like that. And then one day before the game.”
Bobic does not comment on whether and how Jarstein goalkeeper coach Menger approached. Only this: “The way, the tonality and the language were completely wrong.” Therefore, from the club’s point of view, there was no chance to save the situation: “Without discipline, a football team does not work. Otherwise we have the wild sow here.”
Bobic spoke to Jarstein on Friday and informed him that he would not be in the squad against Frankfurt. “It wasn’t the coach’s decision, it was my decision,” says Hertha’s sporting director. Jarstein is currently exempt. Bobic announced that further talks with him and his advisor should take place shortly. “It’s a shame because it affects a person who has been here for a very long time,” he says.
From the current squad, only Peter Pekarik has been in Berlin longer than the Norwegian. Jarstein has been playing for Hertha BSC for eight years, he has made 178 appearances for the club, most recently in the 2020/21 season when Pal Dardai surprisingly made him number one again after his return to the coaching bench in the relegation battle. Shortly thereafter, Jarstein contracted the corona virus on a trip to the Norwegian national team.
“We are aware of the merits he has for the club,” says Bobic. “But we’ve done a lot for him over the last year to help him get back on his feet.” Jarstein’s role this season was to be second-choice goalkeeper behind young Oliver Christensen, 23, and mentor the talents Tjark Ernst, 19, and Robert Kwasigroch, 18.
Did Jarstein want more, didn’t agree with Christensen’s decision? Since he has not yet commented, this is pure speculation.
During his time at Hertha, the Norwegian, actually a calm and relaxed fellow, experienced phases in which he wasn’t number one. Despite this, he never grumbled audibly. That makes his outburst all the more mysterious – and draws attention to the relationship with Andreas Menger, who came to Hertha from Cologne before last season.
The relationship between a goalkeeper and his coach is always a special one. At Hertha, Jarstein mainly benefited from working with Zsolt Petry. A new goalkeeper coach sets different priorities, has new ideas and methods – but it also means a change for the goalkeeper.
“Of course someone like Rune Jarstein at 37 can say he needs a certain exercise because it’s good for him. No problem. It will be done,” said Menger in an interview with the Tagesspiegel in preparation. “But it’s not like our goalkeepers decide what and how we train.”
There are still two and a half weeks until the transfer window ends. Hertha’s squad is far from finished, and now the search for a new goalkeeper could also come up for sports boss Bobic. “I didn’t give a damn about the issue,” he says. Because the club felt well positioned: with Jarstein as the experienced number two and two motivated and hopeful talents behind them. But since Friday everything has changed.
