Bo Henriksen interview: Mainz coach who’s out to surpass Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel is a Kidderminster Harriers legend | Soccer Information

When Bo Henriksen joined Mainz final yr, they have been 9 factors from security with 13 video games of the Bundesliga season remaining. Not solely did he hold them up however now he has them chasing Champions League soccer in his first full season in cost.

It’s a unprecedented story however then Henriksen is a unprecedented man. The 50-year-old Dane, as soon as a striker in English soccer’s decrease leagues with Kidderminster Harriers and Bristol Rovers, has been referred to as loopy by one in every of his finest gamers and a genius by his boss.

What’s simple is that he’s doing one thing particular at Mainz. This membership is famed for being coached by Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel however neither completed within the high 4. Now, a staff languishing final season are simply two factors off it with 4 video games to play.

How has Henriksen accomplished it?

“By taking away the worry,” he tells Sky Sports activities. “I needed to take that away instantly and create a tradition the place individuals dared to be themselves, dared to make errors.

“And it was so unhealthy at that time, they’d hearken to anybody, even a long-haired Dane.”

Maybe. However Henriksen backed up his phrases with actions. In his second recreation in cost, Mainz have been holding unbeaten leaders Bayer Leverkusen halfway via the second half when goalkeeper Robin Zentner fumbled an easy shot into the web.

“I’ve heard so many coaches speaking about perception and belief after which one second later somebody makes a mistake and they’re on tv saying they misplaced the sport as a result of this participant didn’t transfer right here or that participant didn’t try this. After which, it’s destroyed.”

Henriksen backed his goalkeeper. “I instructed him that he can be a part of it subsequent week. You may speak and speak but when you don’t present your gamers that you just imagine in them, they are going to by no means imagine in you.” Over one yr on and Zentner has nonetheless not missed a recreation.

So many have improved. Jonathan Burkardt is a standout. He had been on a run of 1 purpose in 21 video games at one stage previous to Henriksen’s appointment. This season, solely three males have scored extra Bundesliga targets. The type of play has been reworked.

“After we got here in they have been simply kicking it excessive and lengthy,” says Henriksen. “We modified it round, wished to play extra within the half areas, really create possibilities. I believe now we have change into one of the intense groups within the Bundesliga, urgent excessive.”

He talks with satisfaction of their tempo. “The depth is unbelievable.” And after they fall brief, as they did at Borussia Dortmund lately, it annoys him. “We have been possibly 98 per cent there. That isn’t sufficient. I hate being common. I used to be a median participant.”

Classes from Kidderminster

For English audiences, one of the curious points of Henriksen’s rise to changing into one of the thrilling coaches within the Bundesliga is that this supposedly common participant additionally occurs to be Kidderminster’s all-time high scorer within the Soccer League.

It was a short stint for membership and participant within the early 2000s, however Henriksen made an affect in Worcestershire and the expertise had an affect on him. “It’s a improbable place and it was actually enjoyable as a result of it was my childhood hero Jan Molby who took me there.”

Henriksen already knew he wished to teach and was eager to be taught extra in regards to the recreation in what he calls the house of soccer. So, what did he uncover? “Quite a lot of consuming. Fights in coaching. Issues I had by no means seen earlier than in my life,” he replies, laughing.

“It was a particular tradition as a result of it was the final likelihood for these gamers. If they didn’t make it there, they’d to enter the manufacturing facility. In Denmark, it was slightly totally different. You’ll change into a lawyer or one thing. In England, at the moment no less than, it felt totally different.

“I realized from it in some ways and never solely about soccer. I realized about human beings, about how one can be in a gaggle, how one can deal with one another. It was all about respect. I get goosebumps after I speak about it as a result of that was eye-opening for me on the time.”

He remembers one explicit event when he dived within the field to earn a penalty. Harriers received the sport nevertheless it was his personal captain Sean Flynn who confronted him afterwards. “He was a improbable individual. He had me up towards the cabin,” remembers Henriksen.

“He was saying, ‘What are you doing, man? I by no means need you to play on my staff once more if you’re making an attempt to cheat’. For me, that was miraculous. It was a improbable feeling to listen to that. I might really feel it in him that he would fairly lose. After all, that was the previous days…”

Creating a brand new story at Mainz

And but, the coiffure stays. “We can’t actually change who we’re.” And the teachings of these instances in England endure. “Tradition for me is all the pieces. And I’m happy with the tradition that now we have created.” It’s nonetheless all about forging bonds, constructing relationships.

“If you don’t like your boss, there isn’t a likelihood you’ll do your finest for him. Perhaps you’ll do it out of worry for six months. After that, your physique won’t need it anymore. That’s the reason I imagine that if you don’t create a very good tradition, success won’t final for lengthy.”

He ought to know as a result of the journeyman participant is not any journeyman coach. “I had seven years at one membership, six at one other. I do know what it takes.” That accounts for his early years in Denmark, constructing golf equipment. He went on to Midtjylland in 2021 and received the Danish Cup.

Curiously, his subsequent job, the one previous to rescuing Mainz, noticed him flip issues round at FC Zurich, who had been backside of the Swiss Tremendous League. “I’ve been the underdog for the final 20 years,” he insists. However this achievement with Mainz is one other stage.

Why? As a result of he didn’t simply save them, he kicked on. Henriksen talks in regards to the distinction between avoiding and attaining. After the escape act, Mainz misplaced a few of their finest gamers, Sepp van den Berg transferring to Brentford and Brajan Gruda to Brighton.

“A little bit of worry got here into the staff once more,” he admits. “They have been considering that we needed to rebuild all the pieces once more. That was in all probability my hardest job right here in Mainz, possibly even an even bigger miracle than saving them from relegation. We needed to create a brand new story.”

It was a shaky begin however Mainz improved, profitable six from seven over the winter, together with a victory over Bayern Munich. “We acquired higher and higher.” They believed once more. No surprise Mainz’s sporting director Christian Heidel calls him a motivational genius.

“I can’t assist anybody if I wouldn’t have that relationship,” says Henriksen. “Life is about relationships.” Such because the one with midfielder Nadiem Amiri, who calls him “positively loopy” and whose nice type has earned him a recall by Germany after 5 years away.

“I believe they assume I’m loopy as a result of I dare to be myself. When I’m dancing within the dressing room, I have no idea why I’m dancing, I’m simply dancing as a result of I really feel it. I wish to make an atmosphere the place individuals can do what they really feel. Gentle not heavy.

“I do know that Nadim has by no means seen that in soccer earlier than. He in all probability thinks I’m not a traditional coach however I believe I’m essentially the most regular coach on this planet as a result of I’m simply being me. I’m not good at being another person. It’s logical to me. Simply be your self.”

As Heidel has identified, Henriksen is pigeon-holed as simply a motivator however there’s clearly extra to the person. “After all, now we have modified tactically.” However Henriksen, like Klopp earlier than him, credit that to being curious and surrounding himself with consultants.

“At this time, now we have so many assistants and analysts round us to assist with the small particulars, the techniques. And now we have been tactically improbable, my employees have been terribly good. However to show issues round it’s, in fact, about tradition.”

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What motivates the motivator, then? “It’s the small issues. It’s the individuals. Once I see Jonny smiling when he will get referred to as up for the nationwide staff or Amiri getting referred to as up once more, that’s sufficient for me. That’s the place I get my vitality from, what the center pumps for.”

What comes subsequent? That’s the fascination. Properly, Henriksen talks of a potential go to to Kidderminster. “I’ve to return some day.” However earlier than that the massive query is whether or not they can end the job and qualify for Europe, possibly even the Champions League itself.

“Now we have not received something but however now we have had a improbable season.” Full the double over Bayern Munich this weekend and it might change into one thing else completely. “It might be very particular for the entire area.” A area that has been reworked by Bo Henriksen.