SC Bern’s new sports director: Florence Schelling. Image: KEYSTONE
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Eismeister Zaugg
Dear Florence, you are now Queen of Bern
On Tuesday, Florence Schelling started her job as sports director at SC Bern. Or better: she ascends the throne in Bern. It has more creative power than all of its predecessors. But only if she pays attention to a few SCB peculiarities.
It is far from me to give advice. The hockey gods may save me from such presumption. I only allow myself a few tips. The way they can be found in a travel guide. Or simply a «SC Bern operating instructions».
For the city residents, the SCB is what the court of Versailles was once for “Tout Paris” during the time of the Sun King: the social center. It may be that more Bernese are enthusiastic about YB. But the SCB has a higher social, cultural and societal status. Because the splendor and power of the hockey club and the construction of the hockey temple are the result of the efficiency and money of the Bernese. On the other hand, the city of Bern owes it exclusively to foreign bailiffs and foreign money that YB still exists and that a new arena has been built.
What is cool in Zurich will soon be considered hopeful in Bern
Whoever has the power at the SCB, who is the most important person at the SCB, sits on the throne of Bern. Marc Lüthi is annoyed by nothing as much as by the name “King of Bern”. With good reason: On the one hand, he knows very well how apt this honorary title is. But he also knows that such excesses are not well received in Bern. Nowhere else in grassroots-democratic Switzerland will you fall so quickly if you raise yourself.
Which brings us to the first “tip” in our SCB travel guide: keep the ball (or puck) as flat as possible. Don’t overdo it with media coverage on all channels. Avoid bold statements like “I want to go back to the top with the SCB”. We all know that the SCB belongs to the top. Anyone who tells us this offends us. Clever humility takes you a lot further in Bern than Zurich’s confident self-confidence. What is cool in Zurich will soon be considered hopeful in Bern. You do not have to fear media criticism. The local media princes write Marc Lüthi after mouth and the boulevard anyway. Medially, as the Queen of Bern, you will be carried on hands like the Royals in England.
At SCB: Marc Lüthi thinks I’m good, so I am
This is how we come to the second tip: Modesty on the outside is good, but internally at SCB, your self-confidence cannot be big enough. Because Marc Lüthi has successfully managed this company for more than 20 years and has now also become a member of the board of directors and co-owner, monarchist structures have developed in the highly professional SCB.
SCB boss Lüthi in his «temple». Image: KEYSTONE
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At SCB: Marc Lüthi thinks I’m good, so I am. As for the favor of the Sun King in Versailles, that is Marc Lüthi’s goodwill at the SCB. That is one of the reasons for the recent sporting setback. In everything that was thought, said and done in the sports department under Alex Chatelain, the idea was to please Marc Lüthi (and he didn’t even notice it).
Which resulted in more and more horrible transfers. Marc Lüthi rightly looks at the money like a prisoner. So Alex Chatelain only bought in the transfer Brockenstuben and paid attention to special offers there too. Most recently, he even wooed Simon Sterchi to SC Langenthal, which was under pressure to save.
Now there is someone again who dares to contradict Lüthi
No wonder that the SCB was no longer able to make the right transfers. In his submissive manner (which, however, secured him a job at the SCB up to the age of 65), it wouldn’t even have occurred to him to demand additional investments in the first team from his top boss. Since Sven Leuenberger left SCB in summer 2017, there has been no one in the entire sports department who dares to contradict Marc Lüthi.
But you are the new queen of Bern. Marc Lüthis Queen. He has brought you and his prestige is now attached to this sensational job. You may, you should contradict him with diplomatic prudence and yet vigorously and be adamant. You can achieve more with him than all your predecessors. So in the sense: «Marc, we can have this star. But now open up the war chest and let me add 50,000 francs to the offer. » What he would have refused to any of your predecessors, he will grant you.
The Queen of Bern has the right to at least seven errors
If the coach doesn’t use the good young talents that are in the SCB organization like Kari Jalonen, then you can afford to tell him: “Well, this player gets his chance now.” When Chatelain made such wishes to jalons, the Finnish world coach simply ignored the advice with paternal friendliness. But the trainer will obey your word. Because he also knows that you have the king’s ear.
No player or agent will dare to intervene directly or indirectly with Marc Lüthi behind your back. When negotiating with the players, you can, yes, be adamant with your instincts. You can. I am sure that you would have granted Thomas Rüfenacht at most one year extension.
So we see: you have more creative power than any SCB sports director in front of you. But you can only assert yourself in the long run if you do not allow yourself to be overly misjudged. Every sports director has the human right to error. Because you are the Queen of Bern, you even have the right to at least seven errors.
The dusty, limping donkey on the Bundesplatz …
So that you don’t make seven mistakes too quickly, you also need clever advice from outside the SCB-Fuchsbau. For two reasons. First, no major hockey club in the world has such a miserable scouting system. When a dusty donkey limps across the Bundesplatz, the SCB scouts Marc Lüthi excitedly report that a fiery racehorse gallops past the Bundeshaus and recommends an immediate transfer. The SCB scouts go to watch games. Proper scouts go attentively to watch players.
The new wing pliers of the SCB? Image: AP
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So if you get a second opinion, don’t rely on advice from the SCB sports department. Never forget: This sports department has Andrew McDonald’s commitment on its conscience.
And there is one more thing: Beware of the SCB intrigue culture. It is not comparable to that at Versailles back then, and the people of Bern tend to intrigue much less than the people of Zurich. But don’t underestimate the Bernese farmers’ cunning. Do not be blinded by the benevolence that is shown to you and rocked to safety. On the one hand, this is due to the friendliness that we Bernese people have – but also because you are Marc Lüthis queen.
Schelling and Lüthi after the engagement became known:
Video: watson / SCB
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Your predecessor Alex Chatelain is still there and there are still “chat lists” in the SCB, which do not approve the deposition of your predecessor deep in your soul, where even Marc Lüthi cannot look inside. If Marc Lüthi doesn’t notice, these opportunists will secretly look forward to your every mistake. Be careful.
Always remember: The SCB is the pride of this city
So that was a malicious introduction to your new employer’s culture. Spiteful? No, not really. Rather, it follows from my remarks that you have the very best prerequisites to become the best SCB sports director in history as sports director.
But always remember: The SCB is the pride of this city. The SCB must be successful. You know our association boss Michael Rindlisbacher from your work at the association. Don’t think Marc Lüthi is as naive as Michael Rindlisbacher, just because he is Bernese and was also a member of the SCB board of directors. The difference between the two is greater than between Peter Spuhler and a vice archivist at the Federal Statistical Office two weeks before retirement.
When it comes to the well-being of his SCB, his kingdom, Marc Lüthi can be as relentless as King Henry XIII. rejected by England and even a queen.
