Ottmar Hitzfeld, 77, believes that Bayern Munich coach Kompany's illness will help many coaches receive more health care.
Ottmar Hitzfeld supports regular health check-ups for coaches. He told Kicker: "My advice to coaches is: get a thorough check-up every year! Clubs should promote this and ensure coaches comply with this requirement." The coaching legend also called for more understanding from the public regarding coaches' apparent weaknesses. After Kompany's illness, this topic "is now receiving more attention."
The Bayern Munich coach had previously collapsed due to meningeal irritation and was hospitalized. Hitzfeld said: "Kompany's experience will spark another round of attention and will help many coaches and people with similar problems." He added: "Things will get better."
Hitzfeld said that, like players, coaches can also eventually become "overloaded." But for coaches, there is no room for leniency. He is in charge and must lead by example. He should sometimes say: "I'm not feeling well, I'm not going today." But then people will ask: Why isn't he here? Did something serious happen to him?
The 77-year-old suffered from burnout in 2004. He described his condition at the time: "I suffered from insomnia and depression. In the morning, I preferred to pull the covers over my head rather than get out of bed."
As a coach, Hitzfeld led Borussia Dortmund (1997) and Bayern Munich (2001) to Champions League titles. He won 7 league titles and 3 German Cups domestically. From 2008 to 2014, he coached the Swiss national team.