Ottmar Hitzfeld described the severe toll of his managerial career, detailing a 2004 battle with a burn-out syndrome that involved insomnia and depression.

Ottmar Hitzfeld shaped an era in German football, winning seven titles, three cup victories, two Champions League trophies, and the Intercontinental Cup across spells with Borussia Dortmund and FC Bayern. Speaking to the kicker magazine, the 77-year-old revealed the physical and mental cost of his high-pressure career on the bench.

“I suffered from insomnia and depression. In the mornings, I preferred to pull the blanket over my head instead of getting up,” Hitzfeld said. “I no longer wanted to be in my world, in this jungle where, although battered, I had to play the strong man. Complaining that I wasn’t feeling well was something I couldn’t afford as a coach.”

That exhaustion led Hitzfeld to turn down an offer to succeed Rudi Völler as head coach of the Germany national team. “The offer came at the wrong time. I was drained, not at the height of my powers,” he explained. “When I had the burn-out, I said: Never again a coach!”

Recovery and the Weight of Matchday Pressure

To navigate his crisis, Hitzfeld sought treatment from Professor Florian Holsboer, who served as director of the Max Planck Institute in Munich at the time. “I had several conversations with him in which a lot was laid bare. That did me good. I am always grateful to him. He helped me out of a decisive phase of my life. I was desperate. I was on the ground,” Hitzfeld said.

The relentless demand to win the next fixture weighed heavily on his daily life. “My future began in the next match. That is the burden of the coach,” Hitzfeld stated. During periods of crisis, he lost his appetite and dropped weight. “When you look at the menu, no dish fits and you still have to eat, it is bad.” He also noted persistent sleep difficulties and praised the support of his family, stating, “A wife sees how you suffer and has to support you.”

Vincent Kompany Hospitalization Sparks Comparisons

Hitzfeld also addressed the recent collapse of Bayern coach Vincent Kompany, who spent time in the hospital roughly a week prior. Kompany was subsequently discharged after medical staff diagnosed a meningeal irritation.

“I immediately understood that pressure and stress played a role, without knowing an exact diagnosis,” Hitzfeld said. While he noted that coaches in lower divisions also face severe strain, he pointed out distinct differences at the elite level. “For Kompany the pressure is even greater, a Bayern coach must always win. In Munich the expectations are very high, the championship is demanded anyway, plus the cup, and in the Champions League it should at least reach the quarter-finals.”

Bayern sporting director Max Eberl previously disputed the assessment that Kompany’s medical episode was a direct result of excessive professional pressure.