Hoffmann: “We won’t just be playing for Mainz 05”

No one was really expecting the usual pre-match press conference on Thursday afternoon, considering what had happened the day before. Interim coach Benjamin Hoffmann is preparing his side for an important game against Borussia Mönchengladbach on Friday and spoke of “an exciting 24 hours”. Christian Heidel also appeared at today’s press conference, speaking in detail about the talks that led to the club parting ways with Bo Henriksen. The 62-year-old responded to criticism from some journalists who were unhappy about the club’s communication. “I fully understand that the public is interested, but there wasn’t any uproar here in Mainz. We’ll handle things the exact same way next time,” Heidel said firmly, emphasising that a “respectful” separation by mutual consent with Henriksen was especially important to him.

Heidel’s statements in full on…

…the personal side of parting ways with Bo Henriksen: “I’ve been in this business for quite a few years, and it’s not the first time I’ve parted ways with a coach. Still, it’s always difficult because it’s about people. We had something special, me and Bo. Our relationship was special, we got along extremely well. That’s exactly why it was so important to me and to all of us that things were handled as respectfully as possible. And honestly, I think we succeeded.”

…how the week unfolded: “We had the match in Freiburg and straight away started thinking things over, both the management and Bo. No one could exactly predict the outcome. We spoke on Monday and then had a day off to think everything through. We deliberately took that time so we could figure out if the partnership could continue. It was important that everyone could live with the final decision. Bo himself said that it might take a different approach to reach the team. In our final meeting at the stadium on Wednesday, it became clear that we would mutually agree to end things. Bo would have stayed on, of course he would, but he also recognised that a change might be for the best.”

…accusations that the coach was kept in the dark: “Bo was informed throughout every single step from Monday onward. He even encouraged us to look around and see if there was a better solution. We’ll announce the new coach shortly. I fully understand the public wanting information. Everything has been dealt with calmly. We’ll handle things the exact same way next time.”

…Bo’s farewell to the team: “We reached a joint decision over the past few days because we felt that what had already been set in motion could not be stopped. There were many tears as Bo said goodbye to everyone. You could feel there were a lot of strong bonds in that dressing room. Still, my impression is that the team supported the decision.

…Benni Hoffmann’s role: “We’re really confident in Benni and we know that he is another very, very good coach at this club. Friday’s match is all his – no one will interfere.”

…the upcoming relegation battle: “We’ve been here before and we know how to handle it. Unfortunately, coaching changes are part of that process. It’s not about blaming an individual, it’s that you can’t replace a whole team. The most important thing in a relegation fight is staying calm. Everyone has to pull together – we got into this situation together and we’ll fight our way out of it together. Still, there’s no guarantee it’ll work. We’re focused and the team know the situation we’re in. It’s about fighting back together no matter how painful it is. We’re a side that’s built on never giving up – we need to really live that. We need to be fired up, but without getting ourselves sent off. I can confirm that the club will act in the January transfer window. We’ll discuss all of that with our new coach.”

…his hopes for Friday evening: “I want the whole stadium to get behind us as we do everything we can to beat Mönchengladbach.”

Benjamin Hoffmann on…

 …the last 24 hours: “It’s been pretty exciting. Yesterday I was preparing for the Offenbach game with my coaching staff, before being called upstairs and told I’d be taking first-team training that afternoon and I’d be in the dugout for the Gladbach game. That’s where all my focus went from about 1pm onwards. We’ve not got long to prepare, but we’re in the middle of doing so and we’re in a good position. A lot had already been prepared. I can only thank the staff and the team, who welcomed me so warmly. Friday’s game will be about playing not just for Mainz 05, but also for the man that is Bo Henriksen. I’m sure the lads would like to give him something back as well.”

…possible approaches with little preparation time: “The priority right now is to give the lads a bit of self-confidence and clear their minds. We'll have a lot of conversations and training to do just that. What they managed to achieve last season was not all that long ago. We’ll make sure they’re reminded of that. Playing with a sense of freedom is the main thing, which is something I’ll convey to Chris Babatz – we’ve worked together for six years and understand each other fantastically. We also want to make use of the certain element of surprise that my involvement brings.”

…the atmosphere on Friday evening: “There are two ways to ignite a stadium. It can come from the fans, or you do it on the pitch. I prefer the second way. We can then bring the fans on board and become a unit.”

…his future at Mainz after going back to the U23s: “I absolutely see myself here at Bruchweg in the future. The club means the world to me and my family feels completely at home here.”