How hard was it to stand out as a player in Berlin during the 1960s and ’70s?
Due to the area in Berlin, there weren’t many scouts coming over from West Germany, as you had to go through the East to get there and that was something people didn’t like to do. Berlin became like an island and nobody really analysed players there – that meant the sole chance of breaking through was with Hertha Berlin, who were the city’s only club in the Bundesliga. When they first scouted me, they said, “That boy is too little; he must eat more to get stronger”, so that was it for me – by 18, I was working with my dad in the tax office. I thought my dream of becoming a
