'You are out when he is' - Hull City assistant makes tough revelation about job volatility
Julian Huebner has given an insight into the life of an assistant manager as he continues to settle into life at Hull City alongside compatriot Tim Walter, in what is becoming an increasingly difficult job given the Tigers' woeful form, suffering their latest defeat on Tuesday night to Sheffield Wednesday.
Huebner joined Walter and Filip Tapalovic when the trio arrived on July 1 just a few months after they departed Hamburg, linking up with club legend Andy Dawson before goalkeeping coach Erbil Bozkurt joined shortly after.
The 41-year-old describes himself as 'incredibly happy with the current situation' at the MKM Stadium despite an increasingly challenging start to the season, which has also seen him front and centre on the touchline after Walter picked up a one-game suspension.
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Walter is sometimes seen as a volatile character, something Huebner admits to being the case, suggesting he's capable of playing the good cop role at City when required.
"I said to him: Timmy, if there's something else, let's do it together," he told Transfermarkt.de. "Tim is an alpha male and has his clear strengths. But here and there he can rub people up the wrong way, and that's when I come in. I try to make something round out of the rough edges so that his strengths come to the fore even more. We both appreciate that.
"You are basically part of the boss. You get a raise when he gets one. You are successful when he is. But you are out when he is. If Timmy reaps the rewards for something, then that applies to me too. Because I am a part of it. That is exactly the attitude you need as an assistant coach. I just really enjoy it."
Walter was Acun Ilicali's number one choice after Liam Rosenior's exit at the end of last season, and it's why the Turkish businessman is so keen to see the ex-Hamburg chief come through the early challenges in East Yorkshire, though his patience may well be running thin after the sorry showing against the Owls, and it would not be a surprise to see a change made given the Tigers have won three of their first 17 games and remain stuck in the drop zone.
"Tim has certain expectations when it comes to choosing clubs, and I was sure that if there was something interesting, then I would like it too, or at least it would be attractive. The interest came relatively early," he explained.
"The combination is just right: the three of us (Walter, Huebner and Tapalovic) are doing something together again, the task is interesting because of the culture, and the owner is really keen on us. Part of the truth is that you don't earn any less in England than in Germany. For an assistant coach, that is not an insignificant factor, because you can't just say in a few years: that's it now." In the end, so many factors came together for us to do it.
"Here, there are moments now and again when football is a secondary matter. The experience we gain here, with the culture and the people, is actually the most exciting thing. I can earn money with football in England, I'm in stadiums at the weekends, and when I come home, my family is waiting for me. It couldn't be better."
In addition to the trio of summer arrivals, the first team's top table also consists of Andy Dawson, who has been first team coach, assistant manager and caretaker manager at City since leaving the academy a couple of years ago, having enjoyed a successful career with the club.
Often being part of a previous regime can make life difficult for all parties, but Huebner has praised the way Dawson has taken to the task. "Andy knows everyone in the club, it would be a waste if we didn't use his knowledge," Huebner explained. "He is a club legend and a positive, good-natured guy. He clicked with us straight away. He is still getting to know our playing philosophy because it is very different from the English style of play. But he is really keen and asks about it every day."