The struggle with stereotypes followed Kevin-Prince Boateng into the shower. The midfielder from Hertha BSC had just played a key role in his club being able to play in the best German football league again next year, and now he was asked about a spontaneous celebration in Hamburg or Berlin.

“They all think I’m a party mouse,” the 35-year-old gushed out. “But I’ll have maybe two or three beers, that’s it. I want to go home, I need to relax. That was a busy year.”

Will he hang on for another season after this conciliatory conclusion? “I still want to and I’m in a good mood. Even if you didn’t always see it, but today the prince was back. When it matters most, I’ll be right back. You can also write that, it’s a nice headline: ‘The Prince is back’.”

However, as was to be shown in the hours that followed, the headline recommended by Boateng was only a side aspect in this dramatic relegation second leg, which Hertha BSC won 2-0 (1-0) against Hamburger SV and thus after the 0-1 secured staying in the class at the last minute.

The fact that the club is saved in terms of sport, but is still looking forward to chaotic times on many other levels, was shown by a personnel bang on Tuesday: CFO Ingo Schiller first announced that he would terminate his contract on October 31, then President Werner stepped in According to “Wirtschaftswoche”, Gegenbauer resigned from his post – which the club did not initially confirm.

It would be a big turning point, Gegenbauer had been boss of the club for exactly 14 years on the day of the relegation second leg, Schiller had even been active for Hertha BSC since 1998. At the general meeting next Sunday, that much is already certain, things are likely to be very turbulent.

Fredi Bobic, the only remaining managing director after the announced resignation of Schiller, had a premonition after the victory in Hamburg: “The general meeting is really great, you have to let yourself be insulted for three hours. It’s definitely fun, we’re into SM things like that.”

However, the association also has itself to blame for the fact that there will be an extensive culture of debate. Because seldom before have aspirations and reality been so far apart in a professional club as in the case of the would-be giant from the capital. The almost crash into second division is also unprecedented because Hertha BSC has experienced the largest single investment ever made in Germany’s football elite class in the past three years.

Lars Windhorst has pumped 375 million euros into the club in several tranches since June 27, 2019, taking 66.6 percent of the shares in Hertha BSC GmbH

In addition to Windhorst, Bobic will probably have to ask himself some unpleasant questions. He has only been managing director for a year and had to take over some legacy issues from his predecessor Michael Preetz – such as completely overpriced purchases à la Lucas Tousart (25 million euros) or Krzysztof Piatek (24 million) and professionals like Dodi who were overpaid in relation to their performance Lukebakio or Davie Selke. But when it came to his coaching decisions, Bobic was sometimes completely wrong.

He dismissed the loyal worker Pal Dardai, who was extremely popular with the fans, after matchday 13, when Hertha were still in 14th place in the table. He appointed Tayfun Korkut as his successor, who quickly became hopelessly overwhelmed and was then replaced by Felix Magath by the managing director in mid-March. Three groundbreaking decisions on the command bridge for which Bobic is responsible. And the former Hertha striker can be fortunate that at least Magath has finally fulfilled the order after three missed match balls to remain in the class during the season finale in the relegation second leg.

The 68-year-old veteran is now retiring, and Bobic needs to find a successor quickly. “I am very, very far with the talks. It will certainly be the case that we will be able to present a new coach in the next few days,” announced the managing director on Tuesday afternoon in Berlin. The former coach of FSV Mainz 05, Sandro Schwarz, is the favorite for the orphaned post. The 43-year-old is currently still active at Dynamo Moscow and is with the club in the national cup final on Sunday against Spartak Moscow.

After that, there could be movement in the personnel. Bobic outlines the profile of the newcomer as follows: “What he has to bring with him is clear. Personality and fire for Hertha. I want to see aggressive football, going forward, not backwards. Our football was marked by passivity,” said the 50-year-old.

Not the only error in the system: Boateng also made it clear how large the list of defects at Hertha is after this season. “We have to learn a lot from this season, we have to bring calm into the club,” said the professional, who claimed to have set up the winning eleven for the game in Hamburg together with coach Magath.

“We have to be reconciled with the fans, we have to become a family again,” Boateng demanded: “The way we were today, that’s Hertha BSC. That’s how we have to appear, that’s for Berlin. There is no other way.”