In the summer, more than usual, speculation about who might move where and when is a topic that occupies the heads of football clubs who are putting together their squads for the new season from morning to night. For example, Timmo Hardung, Eintracht’s sporting director, picked up his smartphone in the hotel immediately after getting up and read about a supposed interest from South America in Tuta, the Brazilian who works for Frankfurt.

Shortly afterwards, when the Frankfurt team completed a training session on the Racing Louisville FC pitch before flying on to El Paso in Texas, Hardung took the opportunity to classify the news that was making the rounds on social media and preoccupying some fans at home as a false “rumor”: “I can deny that,” said the 34-year-old, who, together with sporting director Markus Krösche, is responsible for the club’s strategy and personnel planning – and sees the club as well prepared for future tasks. The squad that the organizers envision “is largely together,” said Hardung.

The transfer window, which opened on July 1, “is still open for a long time”. To be precise, until Friday, August 30. And so Hardung concluded by saying that it was “presumptuous” to claim that they had finished with their concepts: “The truth is that it is not 100 percent in our hands either,” which they had to learn twelve months ago, among other things, when Randal Kolo Muani was poached from Paris Saint-Germain at the last minute.

Who else will replace the six?

Eleven departures (which brought in a total of five million euros in transfer fees) are currently offset by 15 new arrivals, for which around 33 million euros were due. Hardung said that they had been “very diligent” in recent weeks and had “tied down” preferred candidates for the long term, particularly in the youth player segment.

When asked who else could be signed for the number six position, for which national player Pascal Groß was originally intended but who has a better-paid offer from Dortmund, Hardung avoided giving a specific answer. Instead, he said that “basically” he was more concerned with the group structure “as a whole” when fine-tuning the team, and that also included which “profiles” would be added.

Hardung described the fact that Eintracht decided to hold its preparation camp in the United States, despite the fact that the sun was scorching hot in Kentucky, where it set up its base camp, and the thermometer in Mexico, where it beat FC Juarez 2-1 on Thursday evening, was climbing well above the 30-degree mark, as a decision made with a cool head.

“I think it’s warm in Frankfurt too. And it’s summer,” he said, adding that he personally liked the climatic conditions better “than when it’s too cold and raining all the time.” But they weren’t there to discuss the weather, but because “America is a very, very important sports market and an up-and-coming football market, not least with a view to the 2026 World Cup.” Hardung said it was important that Eintracht “has a presence here.” The “professionalism” of the framework conditions was exceptionally good, and “the facilities” in Louisville were “unparalleled in America.” READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

He did not deny that the stay was “partly” difficult, but pointed out that “a Bundesliga season also means a lot of hardship.” A trip like the one Eintracht is currently taking is “not for everyone. But it is something for our squad and our staff. We are capable of doing it,” said Hardung, describing it as a guarantee that all players would be able to perform “at their maximum.” The heat is “not something that will have a lasting impact on us.”

In order to reduce the stress caused by flights and the change between three time zones within three days, they offer the players “support” according to their individual needs; this includes tips and aids to ensure good sleep and to ensure that optimal nutrition reliably replenishes energy reserves. Hardung was optimistic that the team would soon benefit from the experience when the processes become “similarly” stressful with a Thursday match in the Europa League away from home and an away league game on Sunday.

Hardung added a hint of self-criticism to the debate that has been going on for some time about whether another expert is needed in the team’s sporting management, where he was most recently in charge (and was described by some internal critics as not being assertive enough). It is part of his “DNA that a clear feedback and error culture is part of it”. Otherwise, he said, he would “close himself off to the truth, stagnate and be overtaken by those who do things differently”. There are therefore conclusions to approach some things “differently”.

“This is not something that belongs outside”

He did not want to say what exactly he meant by that. “It’s not something that belongs outside. Internally, when the doors are closed, we are completely open and honest with each other.” He will definitely “remain true to himself.” Whether Pirmin Schwegler or Gelson Fernandes, a former Eintracht professional, will be brought in to support him in his area is being “analyzed.” He has one goal to which he subordinates everything, said Hardung: “I want to be successful in sports. To do that, you have to work as a team.”

However, he was particularly clear in his praise of Xaver Zembrod, who is now the new assistant to head coach Dino Toppmöller. “He brings us a lot on several levels,” said Hardung, highlighting the experience of the 57-year-old, who has worked in Leipzig and Munich but also brings expertise in youth football. Above all, he will bring his knowledge of Spanish football to Eintracht, whose main players try like no other to show “courage in attack” and “keep possession of the ball under pressure.”

In addition, Zembrod has gotten to know many different types of coaches and styles during his time at Kaiserslautern, Hanover and Leverkusen, and he embodies “total seniority”. For Hardung, Zembrod’s commitment represents “an additional piece in the puzzle” that Eintracht is currently putting together and is certainly not finished – but in North America, at least its outlines are taking on more and more concrete form.

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