The precursor was missing.

That was particularly painful on Wednesday because it was Makoto Hasebe's day of honor.

The most experienced Eintracht professional turned 39, and when the teammates did their laps on the practice area at the Frankfurt Arena to start training in the morning, the model professional, who otherwise always leads the way, was not there.

A cold did not allow the Japanese to do sporting work.

Ralph Weitbrecht

sports editor.

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Whether Hasebe will be fit by the time league operations restart in the home game on Saturday against FC Schalke 04 (3:30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Bundesliga and on Sky) is uncertain, but not impossible.

After all, someone like him is always needed at Eintracht.

Overview, game intelligence, anticipation and a lot of experience: Hasebe combines many good qualities of a first-class football player, from which Eintracht has benefited for years.

A perfectly healthy Hasebe would now and otherwise be a good candidate to take on the role of the central man in the three-man defense chain.

Due to the absence of Tuta, who injured his ankle during a friendly against Lech Posen at the training camp in Dubai, coach Oliver Glasner has to change his plans.

The first contender for the vacant post, which is also confirmed by the impressions of the training week so far, is Hvroje Smolčić.

The Croatian is currently in pole position.

On the left and right flanks, Evan Ndicka and Almamy Touré, and perhaps Kristijan Jakić as well, can hope to play against newly promoted Schalke.

Glasner wants to fulfill the Eintracht contract

Eintracht's hopes that coach Glasner will do what is expected of him, namely staying true to his contract and being responsible for the team's fortunes at least until the end of the agreed term in mid-2024, received a new boost on Wednesday.

Even before the morning practice session, the busy Glasner was a guest on Hitradio FFH.

The 48-year-old Austrian chatted for an hour in the morning from half past seven to half past eight - and he was not stingy with messages, even though the most important ones kept a small back door open.

Contracts are basically there to be observed and fulfilled - also in professional football, where there are always counter-examples.

Glasner said: "Yes, I assume I still have the contract until 2024, it's a lot of fun here, great team, it's great in the club.

We're in a great mood all over the city, I think everyone notices that, it feels like it's been a non-stop party since spring 2022." Then the ambitious football teacher added: "But I've been in football for so long, more than 30 years, that it's hard for me to say, that's definitely the case.

But of course I intend to do it because it's a lot of fun."

For a good year and a half, Glasner has been the engine behind Eintracht as the head coach.

It is also thanks to him and his team that the team has performed so well this season.

Both in the Champions League and in the DFB Cup, there are attractive knockout opponents in Napoli and Darmstadt.

And in the Bundesliga core business, the current fourth place in the table leaves all options open for a renewed qualification for European business.

In order to maintain the status quo, Glasner needs all of his players – including those he is courting.

Not only sports director Markus Krösche, but also Glasner himself is in constant dialogue with his professionals.

"I spoke to all the candidates," Glasner said on the radio.

"They say: We want to stay here, we definitely want to play in the spring.

We have big plans in all competitions.

That's why I'm really calm."

Eintracht can show against Schalke whether the training camp in the desert works.

Glasner once again enthused about the outstanding fitness values ​​of his players, who also and above all devoted themselves to the short passing game on Wednesday.

"Only one touch," Glasner called out to his people in English.

Just one contact.

Which means that his pros have to anticipate where the next man is and what the routes are with every action.

A nice exercise - even for someone like Hasebe.

He'll come back after he's gotten over his cold.

And Eintracht will continue to be a valuable player and source of inspiration.