The autobiographical book of Sergej Barbarez will soon be published, and German media have already reported interesting details from the work called “Kreislaufe”.
In the book, Barbarez reflected on the most difficult moments of his career, but also on his relationship with the club from Hamburg, in which he left a deep mark.
In 2001, Barbarez was the best scorer in the Bundesliga, but behind his success on the field there were also situations that burdened him for years.
According to the German Bild, Barbarez singled out three events that seriously damaged his relationship with HSV.
The captain’s armband that eluded him
He experienced his first major disappointment in 2004, after four seasons at HSV. Barbarez hoped to become the captain of the team, but then coach Klaus Toppmöller entrusted that role to Tomas Ujfaluši, and after his departure to Daniel van Buyten.
Barbarez believes that the then head of the club, Bernd Hoffmann, may have played a role in that decision.
“I believe that the then president of the board, Bernd Hoffmann, had a hand in it. Maybe he didn’t want me as captain or wanted to raise the price for Ujfalušić.” Barbarez writes in the book.
Leaving without compensation after 216 games
The second disappointment came in 2006, when no agreement was reached on the extension of the contract.
After 216 appearances and 76 goals for HSV, Barbarez left the club without compensation and continued his career at Bayer Leverkusen.
He was particularly bothered by the fact that the decisive conversation about the continuation of cooperation was scheduled only after the last game of the season. He understood such a move as a clear signal that HSV actually had no serious intention of keeping him.
The decision that hurt him the most
However, the hardest blow came in 2010. At that time, Barbarez was a member of the Supervisory Board of HSV and was considered the main candidate for the position of sports director.
However, just before the meeting with Hoffmann, the chairman of the Supervisory Board, Horst Becker, informed him that he was no longer in the competition and that Bastian Reinhardt would take over the position.
“I felt betrayed and I made a decision – I resigned.” Barbarez recalled.
Despite everything that happened, the former Bosnia and Herzegovina national team player points out that he has left the past behind and reconciled with HSV.
From the disappointment in Germany to the bench of the Dragons
After leaving HSV, Barbarez retired from football and did not perform official functions for years. His return to the big stage came in April 2024, when he was appointed coach of the national team of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
His arrival on the bench of Zmajeva brought a new beginning, and qualifying for the World Cup in 2026 represents the greatest success of his selector’s mandate.
The story of Barbarez got a new chapter – from painful disappointments in club football to great success with the national team of his country, Reprezentacija.ba writes.
