Salomon Kalou Fined €5,000 by Hertha Berlin for Critical Remarks
Ivorian striker Salomon Kalou has been fined €5,000 by his club Hertha Berlin following comments he made in an interview with Berliner Kurier. In the interview, Kalou voiced his dissatisfaction with his role in the team, stating:
“I think the club should treat me better as a player. When you bring in a great player, I think you have to build your team around him.”
The response from Hertha management was immediate. Michael Preetz, the club’s sporting director, dismissed Kalou’s approach:
“That’s the wrong way to go about things. You don’t get a place in the team by talking, but by performing.”
Kalou later responded with a measured tone, acknowledging his misstep:
“I don’t want to leave the club. I get frustrated when I can’t help. I was annoyed to be on the bench in Frankfurt. I made a mistake out of emotion and frustration. I’m sorry—it wasn’t right.”
The €5,000 disciplinary fine appears aimed at restoring order within the squad, and with Kalou’s apology, tensions seem to be easing between the player and the club.