“We fit together very well”

The main message is: We have a new sporting director in Paul Fernie. He initially received a three-year contract, which runs until June 30, 2027. After Carsten Wehlmann was released, we absorbed January internally and then used February to create a requirements profile. There we listed important points that were important to us when filling the position. There are of course many of these and it was important to prioritise which of these important points were most important to us. At the beginning of March we started to look more specifically at names, initially internally and with a view to the profile we had created. When such a position becomes available in professional football, there is always a long list of applicants and advisors who bring their protégés into the game. But the trick was to find the right man for Darmstadt 98. In the end, there were two candidates that we specifically had in our sights. One of them was Paul Fernie, who we ultimately chose and he reversed himself for us.

One headline was, of course, specialist knowledge, which a sports director should of course have. Specifically, we were particularly interested in the scouting idea, the considerations in squad planning and of course the existing network so that appropriate player selection can take place. Also important to us were the ability to work in a team, leadership skills, and communication skills. The candidate should embody the lily DNA and he must let us feel that he wants to go into the future together with Darmstadt 98. Paul embodied all of these things. Paul is a dream child. We were looking for someone who also sees Darmstadt 98 as an opportunity and not just as a job.

On paper, the area of ​​responsibility is identical to that of Carsten Wehlmann. Paul is responsible for the entire athletic department. In addition to the coaching team and licensed players, this also includes the medical department and the functional team. Of course, teamwork plays a big role. Nevertheless, Paul has a lot of creative freedom and of course it always depends on each individual how they use this freedom for the benefit of the club.

I got a very positive impression. During the warm-up against Freiburg on Sunday, I could already feel the euphoria and energy in the stadium. I actually wanted to watch the team, but was distracted by how loud the fans were before the game. This is not a given in this sporting situation and is simply unique here in Darmstadt. Yesterday I introduced myself to the team in the dressing room. It was short and sweet. Things will get more intense in the next few days and weeks.

Darmstadt 98 is a club full of passion, energy and intensity. I’m very happy to be here. SV Darmstadt 98 has developed step by step – in structure and on the field. This “always evolving” thing is exactly mine. We fit together very well. So I was very happy when the call came. It was clear to me straight away from the first conversation that it could work with us. It is important to feel a commonality in terms of humanity. I had that feeling straight away at Darmstadt. We can build something together.

We have some work to do. But that’s normal. The priority at the moment is squad planning, so we have a certain amount of time pressure. But I’m not worried. In every club there are players on loan and contracts that are expiring. I now want to collect my own impressions of the players and then tackle squad planning. I want everyone to have the mentality of wanting to get better. This greed must be there in every player and every employee. I expect that from everyone. My job is to build an environment where everyone can get better.

There are three pillars – live, video and data scouting. You have to cover all three pillars and make the right decisions. You also need a good network and good people in the scouting department. Then of course the players also have to pass to Darmstadt 98. There is talent all over the world. It’s about building a system and a structure so that we can find the right players for SV 98. Our scouting department needs a certain amount of manpower for this, but I take the time to make decisions about what we need.

My CV is not entirely normal (laughs). I’m not someone who is afraid to try something new. I am inquisitive and always try to find a way to improve. I started as a youth coach, developed into a performance analyst, was an assistant coach, scout and chief scout. I have also worked in many countries. Working in Germany was a new experience and a time that I really enjoyed. Then I went to New York and learned a lot there and got to know a completely new environment. In 2021 I will be returning to Germany to introduce and implement my ideas as sporting director in Wiesbaden. Overall, I have had a lot of experience, working for small and large clubs – sometimes with more money, sometimes with less.