When I received the news Tuesday that Köbi Kuhn , it ran me a cold shiver down the spine. For me, it was not just one of the many trainers I met in my career, but someone from whom I learned for life. Because he was a fine man. And because he showed us in the national team in countless situations: It is also uncomplicated. With simple words. With a gesture of. Or just with eye contact.
For me, it was never “de Köbi”, but always, Mr Kuhn. In may, at the opening of his autobiography, welcomed him so. He smiled and said: “I bi EN Köbi.” But I’ve never dared to, your attitude. Because for me, he was a great person of respect, an Idol.
The Name was to me early in the term – and, although I’m Aargau. My aunt was bathing Speaker in the Esp, the stadium of FC, and as a primary school student, I was allowed to use the Totomaten. My God radioed me the current scores on other courses: “game 4 – 1:0” – I changed the number on the Board. One day the FC Zurich came to us, and I was fascinated. From the team in light blue jerseys, one of the many Fans who were just below the Totomaten. I started to become interested in the FCZ, soaking up everything about the Club, went to the library to learn New, because there was the Internet back then. And my grandfather told me of a player who had in the past, all surmounted, and so good a man as any in Switzerland: Köbi Kuhn.
After a game, he sat often to us, and a phrase he said more than once: “Mached cold Seich”
When I switched from bathing in the offspring of the FCZ, I saw him often in the Letzigrund, home of the first team play. I knew very much about him, what he had gained with Zurich how dominant he had been on the lawn in my head I had the image of a player who had the ability to take the Ball in his own half, and all the opponents are able to leave, before he also left the Goalie no Chance. Yes, Köbi Kuhn was a really big number.
And this, Köbi Kuhn, was my coach in the U-21 national team. In 2001, he offered to take me for the first time; for me, a coach was an authoritarian figure, someone of a different level. When we saw us for the first Time, he came to me, shook my Hand and said: “Hoi, Dani.” This gave me an immediate sense of familiarity, which was very pleasant. So he picked each: warm, friendly, normal. I felt under pressure, but was just a pleasure.
I remember a game with the U-21 against Slovenia in Solothurn. We won 2:1, I achieved both goals, then we players sat in a hot tub and treated ourselves to a beer. Köbi Kuhn entered the room, looked at us and said: “your crazy Cheibe.” It was his last Match with the U-21, because he took over the national team.
, Köbi Kuhn, was not only as a player but later as a coach, the most popular of its time. (Video: Keystone-SDA)
In March 2004, it was then, as I played with colleagues on an evening in Schlieren, Bowling, and my phone rang. Köbi Kuhn answered, not a Secretary or an assistant coach, no, he, the national coach. He said: “Dani, I’d muster for the A-team.” At this stage, I experienced it the same as before: totally authentic. He was not pitching tens of rules, it would never have occurred to control us.
After a game, he sat sometimes in the Hotel to us at the table, and a sentence he said more than once: “Mached cold Seich.” He took that for us not, soon the evening would be … We didn’t know all that Köbi Kuhn as a player, was the most sacred – he would have fit in great in our group.
As a coach, he renounced before a game in the cabin on long speeches. The session he held at the Hotel. Often he knocked with the flat of the Hand on the Flipchart he had written the statement, and appealed to the honor: “We play for our country. Think of the Thousands that are in the stadium or in front of the TV. Makes these people proud.”
Popular with Old and Young: Köbi Kuhn as coach during a public training. Image: Keystone
Immediately prior to the Match, he was more in the role of observer, occasionally he gave individual tips. Or he grabbed a player by the shoulder, looked him deep in the eyes and communicated non-verbally. The message came in. Everyone knew: Now you must deliver. This could be very emotional, I had goosebumps once. Köbi Kuhn is the man for the heart, he is motivated in that way extremely.
I’ve been asked if a Trainer could work this way still today. My answer: of course! Humility, decency, tolerance, humility, normality – the must have place in a time in which everything is styled and regulated. I’m not a Professor, but for me it is clear: If you can no longer be achieved with such an open, direct, correct type of players, then I do not understand the world.
Köbi Kuhn has made with all. And when I read and hear in him the Human will be highlighted, I think He has achieved something that has a much greater value than any trophy. There were times in which he was criticized, and to him the made. He no longer suffered but especially when it came to his wife, Alice good. That got to me, because I owe Mr. Kuhn so much.
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Created: 01.12.2019, 07:34 PM
