I really hope we didn’t screw up keeping Pante by not opening up contract negotiations when he wanted. I do think we can keep him (at least through next season and probably longer) if we raise his salary to the same point as Friedrich and Simunic, which seemed to be a point made often. Then again, he does move around a bit. He’s already been at Hertha longer than any of his other clubs.

It is worrying. We could end up suffering for Favre doing a proper job of things. Look at who’s already leaving Karlsruhe with the season not even done yet.

Seems the Friedrich story is off the table for now after Hoeneß and Friedrich’s agent denied everything. But I guess it is really going to be one of the problems Favre will face in his quest to build a title/Champions League place contender. Those players who turn out good or great will generate interest from the big or/and the rich boys. I think keeping Pantelic will be difficult. I think there were rumours surrounding Simunic as well in the winter. And once people start noticing Raffael he might be in demand…

Tom Humes