David Wagner has experienced everything in football. Change of club and coach. ascents and descents. Titles, Achievements and Dismissals. He speaks in an interesting and detailed interview.
David, what is your first memory of Eintracht?
David Wagner: I saw my first game at the Waldstadion as a child, around 10 years old. Against 1. FC Saarbrücken. With my uncle who is ardent eagle.
They say you made history with the Eintracht youth team.
David Wagner: Yes. In the 1988/89 season we didn’t win the Hessian championship. During this time, this title actually always went to the Riederwald. A season later we were able to make up for that.
But there are other reasons why your professional career at Eintracht didn’t work out?
David Wagner: I played for two years in the A youth and then in the amateurs. Jörg Berger got me into the professional squad in the second half of the 1990/91 season. I was substituted on against VfL Bochum on March 16, 1991. For a certain Anthony Yeboah.
And then?
David Wagner: Berger was sacked four games later after a 0-6 draw against HSV. Dragoslav Stepanovic came and sorted me out again. I didn’t stand a chance against strikers like Tony, Lothar Sippel, Dieter Eckstein, Axel Kruse and Jörn Andersen. But the year of training alone was great. The later “Football 2000” was born there.
Jörg Berger would later play an important role for you.
David Wagner: Yes. But perhaps the most important coaching figure for me was Hubert Neu.
You should introduce the person to us
David Wagner: Hubert was an amateur coach and youth coordinator at Eintracht Frankfurt from 1985 to 1991. He was also the link to the pros as an assistant coach to Dietrich Weise, Karl-Heinz Feldkamp, Pál Csernai and Jörg Berger. In 1991 he went to Mainz and became an assistant coach at the second division club. And took me with him.
