Yes, I'd like to see videos dispalyed.
The next day we had a light training session at a Hertha ground on Siebenendenweg in Zehlendorf. However, nobody knew about it and the gates were locked. There was only one alternative: climb and jump over the gate. We were lucky nobody was injured.
When we woke up the next morning on the day of the match it felt like the temperature had dropped by 20 degrees and it was raining. The many Bayer 04 fans, who set off to Berlin on the matchday from Leverkusen in bright sunshine and high temperatures by bus, car or on special trains, were in for a chilly surprise on arrival. And nobody was prepared for rain. Bayer 04 general manager Reiner Calmund reacted immediately. He organised 10,000 red cagoules and distributed them to the Bayer fans.
Coach Dragoslav Stepanovic set out the approach to the game in a final pre-match meeting. We wanted to play with focus, commitment and pressure. Don't give anything away and take our chances.
There was great tension in the bus on the way to the match. Everybody is self-absorbed and focus on their job. It's the same in the dressing room until the Hertha lads arrived in the dressing room next door. Loud music booms out from a music system. "Eye Of The Tiger" by the group Survivor from the Rocky film is ringing in our ears but does not disturb our preparations. As the Women's final is being played, we go to warm up on the Mayfeld. With studs on asphalt, through loads of people and back again after warming up. But there weren't any comments or at least I didn't hear them because I was focused on the game.
We took control from the start to non-stop whistles from 60,000 Berliners. As Hertha rarely got the ball to launch their own attacks, the whistles formed a constant sound in the stadium. The scoreline at half-time was 0-0 but that does not put us off at all. We carried out the orders of the coach to not give anything away and we created one or two slight chances.
The breakthrough comes on 77 minutes. From a Pavel Hapal cross, Ulf Kirsten rises highest to head home the only goal of the game. There is boundless celebration at the final whistle. Basically we only achieved what everybody expected of us but it was a big relief for us to have deservedly won the cup even if the results was not so emphatic.
When the cup was presented, ARD just switched over to show the Tagesschau news programme. It was similar in the evening with the Aktuelles Sportstudio on ZDF. Only the Bayer 04 fans are happy like us and the same on the next day at the town hall. After our own party in the evening and little sleep, we flew to Cologne the next morning. From there we went by bus to the town hall in Leverkusen to be welcomed by a crowd of 5,000 Bayer 04 fans. Some of them had been in the stadium the day before and had travelled through the night.
It was my second title with my Bayer but also unfortunately the last one. It's time for another one again!
A longer report on the cup triumph in 1993 (in German) is in a special edition of the Werkself Magazine available HERE.
Anders Giske was born in Kristiansund in Norway on 22 November 1959. In his youth he played for Goma IL. At the age of 20 he moved on to top-flight Norwegian club Brann Bergen. Over his three seasons there he became a central midfield player with an eye for goal. He was called up to the Norway squad in 1979 and he went on to make 38 international appearances – including eleven as captain. After a move within the league to Lillestrøm SK, he rejoined Brann Bergen for a season after a year away.
Show moreAndreas Nagel was born in Hagen in Bremischen on 7 November 1964. The goalkeeper played for Hagener SV throughout his time as a youth player. He came to the attention of Bayer 04 playing for the Germany youth team, where he finished runner-up in the U16 European Championships in 1982, and he joined Leverkusen in 1983.
Show moreOn 21 November 1954, the Werkself travel to the Müngersdorfer Stadion with the support of 3,000 Leverkusen fans. After Bayer 04 lost 7-3 to FC Köln away in 1953/54, the team led by coach Sepp Kretschmann want to do better. And they do that – and how!
Show moreIn the 1984/85 season there is a clash between Bayer 04, lying tenth in the table, and the leaders Bayern Munich. After five games without a win, Bayer 04 coach Dettmar Cramer is under fire and already sacked according to the media. After a communal walk on 17 November 1984, without the coach, the squad go to the meeting room for a pre-match team meeting and we players sit down but the coach is still not there. But on the flip chart there is the line-up and the words: "SWALLOW IT!"
Show moreThe Werkself only have three games in November 1974. Bottom-of-the-table SSV Troisdorf 05 visit the Ulrich Haberland Stadium on Matchday 8. Only 1,200 spectators find their way to the stadium to watch a game that perfectly suits the weather conditions: Poor (Bayer 04), poorer (the weather, persistent rain throughout the game) and even worse (SSV Troisdorf 05).
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