Manchester was a home game for you…
Crump: Yes, it's 20 minutes on foot to Old Trafford. Of course, it was a special match for me. Although, I have to make it clear, I'm a Manchester City fan. I'd already worked on press conferences in games between Bayern Munich and United and therefore new Sir Alex Ferguson. When he saw me in the press conference room the day before the game against Bayer 04, he said: "Hey, Roland, great to see you again!” A couple of German journalists said to me before the press conference that I didn't need to translate as they could all speak English really well. But afterwards they were all happy that I did do it as they could hardly understand Sir Alex. As Ferguson is a Scotsman from Glasgow, his accent had little in common with the English that most Germans learn in school.
What was Ferguson like?
Crump: I always got on very well with him. I got to know him as an open and likeable person. We had a professional relationship with each other. For me he is one of the greatest coaches ever to work in the Premier League.
He seemed to be certain of winning before the first leg against Leverkusen. "I smell the glory," was a quote in the British media at the time. That doesn't sound like a typical British understatement…
Crump: Well, perhaps he did underestimate Bayer 04. Up to that point Bayern were the usual opponents from Germany. Not many people in the country knew much about Leverkusen. And English journalists didn't have much to do with the Bundesliga back then. Expectations were quite clear in Manchester: We'll do it, go through to the final, who else!
The Werkself had just spectacularly knocked Liverpool out of the competition.
Crump: Of course, but United weren't Liverpool or at least that was the confidence of the Red Devils. The relationship between Manchester and Liverpool is perhaps a bit like that between Cologne and Düsseldorf. They can't stand each other.
The trips to England and Scotland for many Bayer 04 fans, VIPs and sponsors were absolute highlight of that Champions League campaign. Did you feel their special attraction to Britain?
Crump: Yes, indeed. I think of a lot of them really looked forward to our special football culture. I always found it interesting to compare fans in Germany and England. For example, in the Bundesliga the grounds are usually very full at least 20 minutes before kick-off. There is a great atmosphere in almost all of the stadiums. That's not always the case in the Premier League. On the other hand, the chants and songs are much more humorous.
What was your experience of the atmosphere at Old Trafford in the Theatre of Dreams?
Crump: In terms of atmosphere: I was in the press box during the game and, of course, I had to restrain my celebration of the Bayer 04 goals. I was happy about the good performance and good result for Leverkusen on the quiet.
Do you remember Ferguson's analysis of the match?
Crump: Not in detail of course. But he always acknowledged it when other teams played good football. That was the case after this 2-2 draw. Obviously he was disappointed when his team was knocked out of the competition by Bayer 04 in the second leg. I remember that the press conference after the 1-1 draw in Leverkusen was transferred to the Haberland Hall because of the incredible interest from the British media and because the press conference room in the stadium was too small. I was on the top table with Ferguson and Toppmöller and remember that Sir Alex praised the opponents and was a good loser.
