Heidenheim 'on verge of next sensation' says veteran boss Schmidt

Shortly after retiring from the club as a player, Schmidt took over as Heidenheim coach in 2007 with the club was in the fifth division, two rungs below the professionals. Initially, he agreed to take over for just two weeks as interim boss. Last summer, Schmidt's Heidenheim were promoted to the top flight for the first time.

He became the longest-serving coach in Bundesliga history in September on his 16th anniversary at the club. Heidenheim commemorated the occasion with their first Bundesliga victory, a 4-2 home win over Werder Bremen. In an interview with AFP, the childhood Bayern fan hoped there was plenty more to come ahead of Saturday's clash.

"For us it's about staying in the league. We have worked hard over the past few years to host FC Bayern and we will try and achieve the best possible result. "After our sensational promotion, we are on the verge of creating the next sensation by staying in the league.

"If we manage, we can welcome Bayern to Heidenheim in the league again next season." Schmidt's Heidenheim may not be mathematically certain of avoiding the drop, but sit in 11th place and are 10 points clear of the relegation placings with seven games to go.

'Special relationship'

Schmidt has turned down offers of a lifetime contract at the club along with plans for a statue outside the ground, telling the Bundesliga website "people will pee on it eventually - I don't want that." Schmidt told AFP "I have a contract until 2027 and I'm a man of my word. For Heidenheim, it's not important to look into the future but rather to act in the here and now.

"We want to continue to take the next steps towards establishing ourselves in professional football." Heidenheim striker Tim Kleindienst joined in 2021, with the then second-division club hovering in the top-half of the ladder. He credits Schmidt and Heidenheim's "special relationship" for the club's incredible rise.

"Frank communicates clearly with us players and everyone understands his importance," Kleindienst told AFP.  "He managed to lead the club from the amateurs to the Bundesliga. This can only be achieved through a clear plan and close cooperation with everyone responsible at the club."

On the final matchday of last season, Kleindienst scored in the ninth minute of stoppage time to snatch a 3-2 victory at Regensburg which sent Heidenheim past fallen giants Hamburg and into the top division. "At that moment, I didn't feel much," Kleindienst said of "the most important goal in my career". "It wasn't until the referee blew the whistle that I knew what the team had accomplished."

'David versus Goliath'

In the time Schmidt has been in charge at Heidenheim, Bayern have had 12 coaches, with Jupp Heynckes serving three stints. German tabloid Bild on Friday estimated Bayern spent 50 million ($54 million) in severance payments or transfer fees for coaches during that period. Bayern have won 13 Bundesliga titles and two Champions League crowns in that time.

"You have to be successful. However, if you work at a club for a longer period of time, you are better attuned to each other and you can rely on each other," Schmidt said. "In critical situations, people not only talk to each other, but for each other. "Long-standing trust pays off."

Current Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel, himself set to leave at season's end with the side 13 points behind league leaders Bayer Leverkusen, warned on Friday not to lose focus ahead of Tuesday's visit to Arsenal. "It's a classic case of David versus Goliath in front of a passionate fan base behind the home team," Tuchel said of Saturday's match at Heidenheim. "We have a big game coming up after that but we can't just skip ahead to it."