Lilies legend starts new chapter on Brandenburg Street
A new chapter begins for former Darmstadt player Tobias Kempe: He will become head coach of Germania Eberstadt on July 1st. He was presented at the club's first-ever press conference on Wednesday (May 6th). Kempe, who led SV Darmstadt 98 to two promotions to the Bundesliga, looked forward to his new challenge with great anticipation, spoke about past plans that had failed, and revealed why Eberstadt immediately reminded him of Darmstadt.
The enthusiasm was palpable among everyone present in the specially prepared press room. Even beforehand, it had been described as a "milestone in the club's history." Sporting director Rainer Lanzer elaborated on this sentiment: "We now have a Darmstadt 98 legend here as head coach. I can't even begin to emphasize what this means for us. He's a role model for the children, for our young talents."
Kempe and Lanzer have known each other for a long time. The idea of bringing in the former Bundesliga professional arose quite spontaneously during a football evening on the couch. "I jokingly said, 'Tobi, you could become our coach.' I laughed inside and thought, 'That'll never happen,'" Lanzer recalls. When it became clear a little later that Kempe could definitely imagine taking on the role, he "could hardly sleep at night, he was so excited.".
A damaged knee prevented a comeback as a player
Kempe had explicitly emphasized that he had not ended his career after leaving Darmstadt around eleven months ago. His goal, "until very recently," had been to remain active as a professional. However, a damaged knee, which almost cost him his farewell match with the Lilies, thwarted those plans – and the question of his next step became pressing.
“I love football and have experienced a lot in my playing career that I can now pass on. Here I have the opportunity to develop in peace, to work with young people and to grow as a person,” Kempe explained his decision.
Memories of old Bölle
Despite the high expectations, Kempe feels no pressure from the club. "If anything, I put pressure on myself, and I've always been able to handle that quite well," he says. He also recently had enough time to mentally switch off. While he did everything he could to get back on the pitch, he also had plenty of time for his family. The past year has been "very restorative, formative, and important." Ultimately, the Eberstadt resident felt he needed to take on a new challenge.
He immediately felt at home on the Eberstadt club grounds on Brandenburger Straße – partly due to a certain similarity to the old Böllenfalltor stadium: “I can still remember when I came to Darmstadt and Dirk Schuster showed me the changing rooms. The walls smell of hard work, and that's what matters in football. I think that's great.”
By Lauro Meisterjahn
Featured image: Tobias Kempe at the Germania Eberstadt press conference. Photo: Lauro Meisterjahn
