Kaiserslautern has to deny this
Alleged revolt worries nervous second division team
January 22, 2024, 4:22 p.m
Even after the change of coach, there is no peace at 1. FC Kaiserslautern. Managing director Thomas Hengen even has to deny rumors that the new coach Dimitrios Grammozis has been fired again. And all of this happens before a landmark game for the second division soccer team.
The unrest surrounding the four-time German soccer champions 1. FC Kaiserslautern after seven second division defeats in a row is becoming ever greater. Now managing director Thomas Hengen was forced to deny reports circulating on the Internet regarding an alleged player revolt against Dimitrios Grammozis and the dismissal of the coach.
“We are aware that the FCK, with its enormous appeal, its large fan base and immense tradition, emotionalizes and polarizes more than other clubs in German football and the responsibility that brings with it. We are also aware that in the age of social media, quick and overzealous postings or Comments are written and distributed that are not carefully researched,” said Hengen on the Palatinate website: “But what was posted online the day after the game against FC St. Pauli shocked us.”
According to Hengen, “the people who deliberately spread these rumors and false claims and posted them on several platforms have no other goal than to harm our FCK and divide us. But they won’t be able to do that before the important home game against Schalke, because we will continue to stick together and believe in ourselves.”
The relegation-threatened Red Devils meet on Friday (6.30 p.m./Sky and in the live ticker at ntv.de) at Schalke 04. In the table, FCK is only one point ahead of a relegation zone. The change of coach from Dirk Schuster to Grammozis at the beginning of December fizzled out without any effect. Under Grammozis, the Lauterers lost three games in a row, most recently on Saturday at FC St. Pauli (0-2).
“The noise that was brought into the FCK and the team from outside reached new dimensions the day after the game and clearly exceeded the limit,” said Hengen: “We will defend ourselves against this with all the means at our disposal. Because this not only makes our daily work more difficult, but also causes unrest in the entire club environment.”