On February 2, Frankfurt announced the arrival of Albert Riera to replace Dino Toppmöller, sacked after eight games without a win and a draw conceded against Werder Bremen (3-3). The former Liverpool player, who has since become a coach with a notable stint at Bordeaux, was not the most obvious profile to turn around one of the most ambitious clubs in Germany. Above all, his reputation as a divisive character seemed to fail him a little. Since his time in Ligue 2, Riera was known for being an “arrogant” coach. His press conferences and his character quickly annoyed the French professional football community and his fellow coaches. David Guion had been cash. “I have been coaching in Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 for almost 10 years and I have never seen a coach so disrespectful of his colleagues. » Same story for Patrice Garande. “Everyone knows that he is a coach who lacks humility and who has above all lacked respect for many of my colleagues on the pitch. It’s a boy I didn’t know, he unpleasantly surprised me, but I’m not the only one. » And even in Slovenia, its former president Igor Barisic, with whom Riera was on bad terms in Ljubljana, once described her in an interview as “time bomb, from a person who thought he was God”.
The character was therefore known and has not changed in Germany. Despite initial positive results, Albert Riera quickly stood out at a press conference with comments that quickly caused controversy. Very quickly, the Spanish technician alienated the German press. A few weeks after his arrival, a first controversy broke out about him. In a podcast, former striker Martin Harnik released a direct statement, to say the least. “He’s the kind of guy, I’m very honest, who I don’t wish success on. I just think it would be pretty funny to see him go down ingloriously. » Max Kruse, another ex-player and co-host of the same podcast, followed suit. “I feel like he thinks of something new every week to get noticed. I think this guy is a little too theatrical. » Strong words, which did not take long to reach Riera’s ears. Questioned on this subject during his press conference by BILD journalists, the Mallorcan coach put on a show as usual : “Kruse? Who ? Who is he? Are they footballers? I’m not here to criticize anyone. But you need to know one thing: when you express yourself, especially as a public figure, there are always pros and cons. You can only hurt me if I love you. If I don’t love you, you can’t hurt me. My wife, my children, my friends, they can hurt me. I don’t care about them. Because I know what I want and how I want it. »
Compared to Donald Trump
This weekend, the 44-year-old technician did it again by responding to a new controversy after supposed tensions with his attacker Jonathan Burkardt. According to Bild, a disagreement broke out between the Spanish coach and his attacker, particularly around the physical data of the player considered far from high-level standards. Present at a press conference before the match against Hamburg, Riera responded strongly to the press. “It’s totally absurd, I really tell you, it’s absurd. You write what you want anyway. This is bullshit. It’s been two weeks already. And then, strangely, no one talks about the great atmosphere at training.” Defeated this Saturday by Hamburg (1-2), Frankfurt sees its place in the Europa Conference League threatened since Friborg has now returned to its level (43 points). A poor performance which obviously does not pass in Germany where Albert Riera is strongly criticized and seems more lonely than ever.
Proof of this divide within his club itself, the daily Bild makes new revelations about him. The Spaniard would already be nicknamed “the Trump of the Bundesliga” by some within the German club who believe that his arrogant character does not at all help the club to work in a calm and healthy climate. The German media continues: ““Frankfurt sporting director Krösche must be wondering why he traded Dino Toppmöller for “Donald” Riera» before concluding, “after all, unlike the real Trump, Riera was not elected for four years, but can be fired at the end of the season. » After 12 matches and a mixed record (4 wins, 4 draws, 4 defeats), Albert Riera already seems more than ever with his back against the wall. And not sure that it will survive the end of the season even if Frankfurt manages to qualify for the C4. Once again, the former Bordeaux coach ended up alienating people far too quickly…
