Peter Zeidler looks back on his departure from FC St. Gallen last summer. He doesn't want to know anything about human problems.
For a full six years, Peter Zeidler whipped the players of FC St. Gallen forward, energetically, loudly, charismatically. Occasionally on the edge of what was permissible, when he got into an argument with the fourth official or a member of the opposing team's staff.
Zeidler, now 62 years old, says: "I sometimes thought: take it a bit slower, and yes: the gestures were sometimes a bit expansive. But when I see how we cheered when we scored goals, how we hugged each other, the goalkeeping coach, the team manager, the assistants - it shows how united we were."
Emotions always played a role for Peter Zeidler - especially towards his own team. He coached several players for four or five years. Was there also wear and tear? Did Zeidler's demanding, sometimes loud manner and intense football no longer get the better of him? Rumors of a falling out with team leader Lukas Görtler, for example, were already doing the rounds a year before his departure from Eastern Switzerland - and persisted until the end.
Zeidler sees things differently. He denies that his style and manner have worn off. "I don't see it that way. Of course, it's possible that a player who's been with us for several years might think to himself: I've heard that before. I've always asked myself: What can I do differently? What can I do better? And I never got up in the morning and didn't feel like it. So: wear and tear? Absolutely not." But you can always have different opinions, Zeidler emphasizes. "I've always tried to respect everyone and show everyone appreciation."
Baykal: "It was the right moment to leave"
Nevertheless, player agent Baykal Bellusci, who has known Zeidler for years, says that he felt it was the right time for Zeidler to leave in the summer of 2024. The former professional from Thun, Basel, GC, YB and Cologne says: "He had to take the chance Bochum. And quite honestly. If we're talking about wear and tear, then it was the right moment for Peter to change. That's my personal opinion."
Loosely translated: The mood within the club, among the players, among those in charge, definitely among parts of the fans had turned a bit against Zeidler. Everyone in and around the club sensed this. Bochum was therefore probably the right, elegant opportunity to leave the club on good terms after six years.
