“Intensity and commitment” | OneFootball

Adi Hütter on his expectations of the players, talks with Markus Krösche, the current Eintracht squad and the magic of the Frankfurt skyline.

The ProfiCamp media room at Deutsche Bank Park was full to bursting on Monday lunchtime as Adi Hütter was unveiled as Eintracht Frankfurt’s new head coach. 

“I am delighted to introduce Adi Hütter as the new head coach of Eintracht Frankfurt,” said board member for sport Markus Krösche. “He fits the profile we were looking for: he has experience, he knows the league, is able to play attacking football, can blend a counter-attacking style with a more possession-based approach, and can do so with a certain intensity. Furthermore, he’s shown that he can successfully work with young players. In Adi, we’ve found exactly the right person. He’s someone who has already experienced and overcome tough situations.” 

After that, it was Hütter’s turn. He paused briefly and then began with a broad smile: “Hello everyone. I’m very happy to be back. I arrived on Sunday evening, saw the skyline from my hotel and thought: ‘Adi, this is the right place for you.’” 

Hütter also spoke about … 

… the talks leading up to his appointment: “I’d like to say a big thank you to Axel Hellmann and Markus Krösche for giving me the opportunity to return, and giving me the feeling that I belong here and have unfinished business here. Markus first got in touch after the season. We met in Mallorca and had some really good talks. What’s been built here and the way the club has grown is really impressive. Eintracht’s interest really struck an emotional chord with me." 

… his coaching staff: “We’re in discussions about the coaching staff and whether there might be any additions that could strengthen us. We’ll see how things develop. I worked with Christian Peintinger and Klaus Schmidt in Monaco. Peinti is also very happy to be back.” 

… his playing style: “Football isn’t just about being direct and physical; it’s also about maintaining possession and coming up with good ideas on the ball. I’m aware that many people still associate me with the ‘Buffalo Herd’. I’ve developed as a coach since then. In Monaco, 70 to 80 percent of our matches were against deep-lying opponents. In those situations, you need solutions, ideas and creative players. On the other hand, we need to defend well and have a clear identity. We need to stay compact when we go forward and have a solid defensive structure behind the ball. The team has to play with intensity and commitment to defend with everything we’ve got. That’s the foundation.” 

… the current squad: “For me it’s always important to get the very best out of the squad. That involves fielding players in their best positions so they can play to their strengths. It’s important that we have a clear idea of what to do, both with and without the ball. We have a lot of young, very technically gifted players who are capable of playing good football. At the same time, I want us to learn to defend our own goal with enthusiasm. Success is important to me, but so is having a clear identity. If I had to sum it up in one word, it would be intensity. That’s what we need to show on the pitch. It’s the kind of football fans expect and the kind that suits me. We have a very good squad.” 

… his demands of the team: “We need to get down to work. I have a clear idea of how I want us to train so that we can produce the performances we want on the pitch. For that, you need players with the right mindset to embrace that style. I want to give the players a clear understanding of how we want to play, and to help them put it into practice. At the end of the day, results are what matters. I want to see a team that plays on the front foot and excites fans.” 

… his approach: “Intensity comes from the work you put in on the training ground and demanding it every single day. At some point, the players understand that. When we attack and lose the ball, I expect to see a clear reaction – and it can’t be just jogging back. Even if we don’t regain possession, everyone needs to get back behind the ball. Blocking every ball, throwing themselves in front of shots and defending their goal is part of that. How high up the pitch we do that depends on the opposition.” 

… his expectations: “We have to move with the times; expectations have risen. The club has ambitions, and so do I. At the same time, we need to be smart in our thinking. First and foremost, it’s about the way we do things and ensuring the players embrace and want to implement the style of football I have in mind. I’m incredibly excited about helping Eintracht get back to where we all want to be, even if that means taking things one step at a time. It’s still too early to talk about objectives. Maybe we can do that in August.”