New Wanderers boss Markus Babbel just couldn’t say no

New Western Sydney Wanderers coach Markus Babbel couldn’t say no after a convincing pitch from the club.

Western Sydney Wanderers coach Markus Babbel. Picture: Damian Shaw

Markus Babbel couldn’t believe what he was hearing as Western Sydney chief executive John ­Tsatsimas explained the Wanderers’ culture and philosophy over a nice lunch in Mannheim, in southwest Germany.

Tsatsimas had flown over to talk to the former Bayern Munich and Liverpool star in a bid to convince him to sign as coach with the club for the new A-League season.

“We had a great afternoon and I was thinking ‘mamma mia, the way he is talking about this club it is like I am going to Real Madrid’,” Babbel tells The Weekend Australian. “I could see the fire in his eyes. I could see the passion … he was burning.”

To be honest, Babbel didn’t need too much convincing. He was ready for a new challenge, the chance to try something different in another part of the football world. His knowledge of Australian football was “maybe not that good” but what he knew was that the mentality and character of our players could never be questioned.

“I wanted something different. I wasn’t happy with what was happening in Europe, too much ­rubbish talk,” he says. “I spent three-and-a-half years in Switzerland (coaching Luzern) and I said to my wife, ‘I can’t go now to ­another Swiss team’, I was too much heart with Luzern. I was working with great fun and a really good relationship and I met many top people there.

“Then came the offer from Western Sydney. My wife said a change would be good for me.

“The good thing in my career is I met (former Socceroos) Lucas Neill, Brett Emerton, Mark Schwarzer and Paul Agostino and I coached Tomi Juric … they are all good guys. I think their mentality is what I like.

“In Europe, no one says Aussies are lazy, not working. They love them. Technically maybe they are not as good, but they ­always work so hard and that is what Europeans like very much.

“This was an attraction to me because I wanted to work with this type of player.”

Having made the decision Babbel, 45, told his family, friends and former teammates. But rather than shock and bewilderment that he would leave Europe to coach in a far lesser league and so far away, he was met with support and best wishes.

“No, no. No one said I was crazy man,” he laughs.

“Maybe some of my (five) kids were crying and my Mum (78) was upset at first, but they all understand now.

“My former teammates … all of them said it was a great choice, great experience. Times changed and you need to follow your heart and your instincts.”

Babbel was capped 51 times for Germany between 1995 and 2000, while he had a fantastic club ­career that featured over 180 games for Bayern Munich as well as a stint with Liverpool. where he was a member of the 2001 UEFA Cup win over Alaves.

He turned to coaching in 2007, leading VfB Stuttgart, Hertha BSC and 1899 Hoffenheim between 2007 and 2012. Babbel then coached Luzern between 2014 and 2018, taking them to third spot in 2015-16 as well as the semi-finals of the Swiss Cup.

Babbel is not afraid to admit he is in awe of the coaching philosophy of Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and it was the Spaniard’s style of football that made him change the way he looked at the game.

“My style is that I like to have the ball, for my team to have control. I’ve told the boys if we have the ball then the opposition can’t score unless we make stupid mistakes,” he says. “I am not the type of manager to have 10 at the back and wait for a mistake and counter attack. Yeah, you can do that but it is not pretty. I want to sit on the outside and enjoy what they are doing on the pitch because I am a football fan.

“I was different before. Then Pep Guardiola came to Bayern Munich. First I think he can do it with Barcelona but maybe not in Germany but he also brought this style to Bayern and changed the club, the philosophy and the style of football.”

But for Babbel, it was the great Ottmar Hitzfeld who provided the most inspiration. He played under the man known as “Der General” for two seasons while at Bayern.

“I had good managers as a player … Hitzfeld the biggest for me. He was fantastic to work with and I enjoyed great success with him,” he says.

“To see what Jurgen Klopp is doing with Liverpool fantastic, too. They play a great style of ­football. This kind of manager is what I like.”