The European Championship 1984 was not a good star for the German team from the start. National coach Jupp Derwall in particular had a hard time. And when it ended prematurely, there could only be one decision. And a surprising successor!
“A first class funeral!” World champion and columnist Paul Breitner did not talk about it for long after the catastrophic qualifying round at the European Championships in France in 1984. The situation of German football was “critical” at the latest after this dramatic bankruptcy in the last second against the Spaniards – and none other than the national coach Jupp Derwall himself chose this word.
Two years earlier, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge had organized a vote among the players, asking whether Derwall should continue. At that time, the DFB coach, who was nicknamed “Chief Silberlocke” because of his early gray hair, was still able to unite the majority of the players behind him. But at the latest after a completely unsuccessful training camp in February in cold Bulgaria (“This is only for Kühnhackl”, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge) – which is why even the Bundesliga paused – the support for Derwall disappeared.
When his most important actor, midfield director Bernd Schuster, had to cancel his trip to France because of a broken foot, the team spirit was finally over. The first signs of a player mutiny finally came a few days before the start of the tournament, when Lothar Matthäus and Hans-Günter Bruns from Gladbach ignored the nocturnal rest and returned to the hotel drunk.
“Athletes, not footballers”
It was then clear to all observers on site in France: If the German national team were to fail early at this tournament, then Jupp Derwall could no longer be held. And in the end everything turned out exactly as it inevitably had to come after this preparation. The German team was unlucky enough to be eliminated in the third group game because of a goal by the Spaniard Maceda to make it 1-0 in the 90th minute. A draw would have been enough to advance that day. And although Jupp Derwall was initially still ready to fight for his job (“I will of course remain national coach until 1986”), he finally gave up two days after leaving, annoyed and exhausted: “I want to help, for the best of German football to make out of the critical situation. “
As so often in its history, the DFB was surprised by this resignation and, as a result, overwhelmed. President Hermann Neuberger brought up the Stuttgart master trainer Helmut Benthaus, but by that time the powerful tabloid press had long since brought someone else into position: Franz Beckenbauer. But he was still hesitant, since he had not escaped the fact that the problems were big: “We atone for old mistakes. Athletes were used on German soccer fields, not soccer players.”
Ben Redelings is a passionate “chronicler of football madness” and a supporter of the glorious VfL Bochum. The bestselling author and comedian lives in the Ruhr area and maintains his legendary treasure trove of anecdotes. For ntv.de he writes down the most exciting and funniest stories on Tuesdays and Saturdays. More information about Ben Redelings, his current dates and his book with the best columns (“Between Puff and Barcelona”) can be found on his website www.scudetto.de.
Indirectly, the “Kaiser” spoke of Hans-Peter Briegel, the “Walz from the Palatinate”, who had only found football in later years because he had previously been a talented pentathlete (three times German youth champion). But just this Briegel was one of the most sought-after players of the DFB-Elf at the time – and moved to Hellas Verona after the European Championship in Italy. But Briegel actually stood for the new “old” Germany, which no longer caused a sensation in play, but was again smiled at by football Europe as “Teutonic tanks”.
The new king of Europe
But German football had hit a new low not only abroad. The last few years had left deep marks on their homeland as well. And so the devastating results of a survey by the Emnid Institute should not have surprised anyone: the profession of professional footballer was still in the very last place behind real estate agents and tax officials.
When the “Bild” newspaper finally opened it up with the headline “Derwall over – Franz: I’m ready” on the first page, the matter was clear: the new hope of German football had been found. The world and European champion Franz Beckenbauer was allowed to take over the scepter – flanked by the tabloid press. How difficult this task would be for the lucky “Kaiser” should be seen, not least four years later, at the home European championship.
Meanwhile, France celebrated a worthy winner of the tournament with the hosts. Michel Platini was the name of the new King of Europe, who not only became the top scorer in the European Championship, but also often shaped the famous “champagne football” of the Équipe Tricolore with his class. And yet another team knew how to inspire. The Danes played their power football, often referred to as “Danish Dynamite” in the following years, for the first time and only just barely failed against Spain in the semi-finals on penalties. Ironically, her great superstar Preben Elkjar-Larsen shot the decisive ball over the goal.
But afterwards her German trainer Sepp Piontek said a sentence that could also have applied to his compatriots, who from now on should be trained by their new team boss Franz Beckenbauer: “That’s life, children. You can’t do anything about it. Be not sad – let’s have a drink! ” Cheers and see you in four years.
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