Ottmar Hitzfeld: Trainer legend speaks openly about burnout

In a new book, Ottmar Hitzfeld (76) talks more openly than ever about the mental problems with which he had to struggle during his career – and who held him from the post of national coach. He had “no more strength”, which he describes as “cruel”.

In the book “Mensch Football Star”, which will be released on August 18 and in which various people from the industry have their say, Hitzfeld reports of exhaustion, panic attacks – and the teachings that he pulled out of it. “For me as a coach of Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, it was several times that I could almost no longer be a person and almost collapsed,” he reveals, published in advance. “Because the profession as a footballer, in addition to a lot of money, which you also like to take, also bring a lot of responsibility and even more pressure. That you work in front of millions of viewers, performs performance and fulfills the expectations of fans and public.”

A first signal sent his body in 1994. At that time he suffered a lumbago, which is why he got cortisone. “However, too much of it is given to me, so that my intestine ignites and then bursting. I hover in mortal danger and you have to cut my stomach open.” He was in a critical condition in the intensive care unit for a long time and almost died.

“The problem as a football coach is that your indoor and outdoor image sometimes fold apart. You cannot and do not want to show any weakness in public. You eat a lot into yourself. At the same time, your body sends you signals that you cannot go on like this.” However, he ignored these warnings. “Because you think: it is impossible that I don’t do anything three or four weeks now and just relax. You are caught in the hamster wheel. As a coach, you always have to be the strong man, you must never show weakness.”

But at some point he was no longer able to do: “Back then, before 2004, I slowly and continuously lost the strength: I can no longer switch it off.” When the offer of the German Football Association for the job as a national coach came, he spent three days almost only in bed. “It is brutal. On the one hand, the offer as a German national coach is tempting. On the other hand, I know that I have no strength.” Hitzfeld impressively describes his state at the time: “I would have loved to pull the ceiling over my head and slept on. I get back pain and sleep problems. It is cruel if you suddenly have no strength.”

He describes a moment in the car as his key experience: “I suddenly have a bad striking. I get shortness of breath, everything will be tight, a terrible feeling.” In this situation, he realized that he needed help and a psychiatrist. He prescribed antidepressants. “They help me to calm me down. But for me it is clear that I reject the offer as a German national coach.” Because: “You have to be rested for a new job.” And at that time he never wanted to work as a trainer again.

Instead, he took a one and a half years of time in the Swiss mountains. A knowledge from this time: He has been silent since then. “In the past I always thought: every message is important, I have to be accessible day and night. That was the biggest mistake.”

Help with depression and thoughts of suicide offers telephone counseling at the free number: 0800/111 0 111