Ljubljana President speaks on what Eintracht Frankfurt can expect from new head coach Albert Riera | OneFootball

As Eintracht Frankfurt prepare to welcome their next head coach, Kicker has secured an interview with the Slovenian club boss who gave Albert Riera his first head coaching position. Munich real-estate entrepreneur Adam Delius actually may be a name rather familiar to those who follow the Bundesliga. Delius spoke to Kicker and plenty of other German footballing publications when his club, NK Olimpija Ljubljana, found itself at the center of a German footballing controversy.

Ljubljana happened to be the club which Köln were accosted of recruiting Jaka Cuber Potocnik illegally away from. Potocnik’s case resulted in Köln’s CAS-imposed two-year-transfer-ban. Delius launched Reira’s head-coaching career some six months after Potocnik joined Köln. The Ljubljana boss spoke to Kicker’s Julian Franzke about the man many Germans have many questions about.

On why he hired Riera:

“We didn’t want a coach from the Balkans,” Delius said. “Riera was assistant coach at Galatasaray at the time and immediately got on a plane in Istanbul to come to a meeting. When our sporting director asked him what system he played, he replied: ‘I don’t have a system. Once I know your team and the opponent’s team, I can tell you which system we’ll play.’.“

“[After hooligans stormed Riera’s first press conference to protest Robert Prosinecki’s firing] He was sitting in a hotel visibly broken,” Delius continued. “I said to him, ‘Mr. Riera, we can terminate the contract immediately. Or you can fulfill it, because you came here to win games and titles.’ And that’s what he did. We won a string of games, the championship, and the cup.“

On Riera’s training style:

“The player’s in Frankfurt will be amazed at how he crosses the ball,” Delius said. “If something upsets him in training, he doesn’t just stand on the sideline, he joins in. Then he kicks the ball with such precision that many stars are left speechless. He is in top shape. He is known for restoring players’ self-confidence. He builds them up and doesn’t criticize them in public. His manner takes away the players’ uncertainty. In Frankfurt, too, the professionals will regain their previous form.

“His attitude is: everyone is part of the team, Delius continued. “Anyone who behaves in an undisciplined manner is against the team and therefore against his philosophy. Pack your bags and go! That’s right. That’s why the players look up to him. He makes sure there is no unrest in the looker room, but rather team spirit. He’s also doing a sensational job in Celje. He’s the best motivator there is.”

On Riera’s evolution as a coach:

“I hope he learns to express himself a little more diplomatically to the media after defeats,” Delius said. “He’s very passionate. His nature is such that he cannot praise his opponents. Even if the other team played better. He calms down again the next day, but not at the moment of defeat. He is 100 percent programmed to win. He once said ‘We’d rather win 5-4 than 1-0.’ At the beginning, we played very, very offensively under him, but he adapted as the season progressed.

“He had to learn the hard way that his approach had its limits,” Delius continued. “He learned from that and changed his attitude over time, even in Bordeaux. He now shows respect for his superiors. You can certainly look forward to the press conferences and interviews with him, because he can’t help being himself. But I’m convinced that the fans will love him. He wins them all over.“

On Albert Riera’s prospects of success with Eintracht Frankfurt:

“Frankfurt is a big step up for him,” Delius said. “I’m convinced he’ll play in the Champions League with Eintracht. With Riera, they’ve also signed someone who adds value. They’ll get a huge offer for this coach at some point. He will fight like a lion to get Eintracht into the top four. I really believe he can do it.

“I’m not allowed to bet in my job,” Delius concluded. “But if I could, I would bet that he will finish at least in the top six. The season is still long and he has time. He will demand that everyone run an extra one or two kilometers from this point forward.”

GGFN | Peter Weis