Heckng calls his team “to get dirty”

Dieter Hecking expects his team to try everything for three points in key clash against Union Berlin.

While the incident from their first meeting makes Sunday’s game between Bochum and Union Berlin a high-security clash, Dieter Hecking advised his team to get “clever”. A Union Berlin fan threw a lighter during the mid-December match, which resulted in a forfeit win for VfL Bochum.

Hecking thinks what happened in the last duel wouldn’t have any impact on the game. “I don’t give a damn how we win the game. The first leg is completely irrelevant,” bemoans Bochum’s coach. 

The 60-year-old didn’t even bring the topic to his players during the week. Meanwhile, his focus is clearly on “winning ugly”. “In Bremen, there were two situations where we could have been awarded penalties if we had been more clever,” continued Hecking. 

“And, during a group fight, some Werder players provoked and taunted to get Ibrahima Sissoko sent off with a second yellow card. They succeeded,” mentioned the DFB-Pokal winner with Wolfsburg. “You also have to look for an opponent who might already have a yellow card. These little things are crucial.”

“After all, we need the points. We just can’t always be nice and sweet,” said Bochum’s coach with unbelievable honesty. Following five successive defeats, Bochum dropped back into an automatic relegation spot.