Can Freiburg not handle stars? In the club’s fourth Bundesliga year, 1996/97, nothing is as it once was. For the first time the club had brought in genuine stars in Dieter Frey, Michael Sternkopf, Michael Frontzeck and Stephan Marasek.
It went badly wrong. The Kicker concluded that Finke had been unlucky with his signings and, worse, had not managed to unite the squad’s full potential. Instead of presenting the team as the supreme value, some players were granted special treatment — and others then wanted the same.
The philosophy broke. In autumn 1996, after a poor start and only one win from six, Finke’s opponents mobilised. After another home defeat he had to leave the stadium under police protection in a heavy Mercedes while beer cups and lighters flew outside.
Freiburg went wild.