Thursday May 13th 2021
Keller succession completely open
The DFB and the search for the “strong man”
Who can guide the German Football Association out of the deep leadership crisis? A well-known from the south of the republic or would you prefer a fresh face? The discussion about the successor to President Keller is in full swing.
In a dark jacket and a large scarf around his neck, Fritz Keller deliberately stayed in the background. The short farewell tour of the DFB President, who fell deeply after his Nazi comparison, began at the DFB Cup final – and will take him to the sports court on Friday. After his return from Berlin, the 64-year-old has to answer at the headquarters of the German Football Association – where the complicated search for a successor becomes a trial by fire.
Anyone who would be willing and able to guide the DFB out of the deep leadership crisis seems completely open – the interim solution with Rainer Koch and Peter Peters does not necessarily help to calm things down. “This is a very big sham,” said record national player Lothar Matthäus at Sky and, as honorary captain of the DFB selection, demanded a “total new beginning” with resignations from everyone who “sat in the boat.”
From politics, SPD General Secretary Lars Klingbeil made a similar statement: “The association needs a complete new start in the association culture,” said the 43-year-old. “This also includes a thorough, honest review of what has gone wrong at the DFB in recent years.”
At the cup final between Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig, Keller should no longer be seen in a prominent position – that was decided before the game, according to the DFB announcement at Keller’s suggestion. “No official from the DFB” should be on the pitch, the association announced, the handover of the trophy was reserved for a young female footballer. Pictures of Keller and the cup heroes of this season would not have been right.
Two heavyweights from the south
The 64-year-old, who appeared in September 2019 as a great innovator, failed in office – due to the paralyzing quarrels in the presidium and to himself. On Friday, the sports court under chairman Hans E. Lorenz will decide whether and how Keller will also be prosecuted. “The course for a realignment of the DFB” had been set, the DFB announced on Tuesday evening. A contract termination is being negotiated with Secretary General Friedrich Curtius. Chef and treasurer Stephan Osnabrügge will no longer stand for re-election at the upcoming Bundestag, which is to be brought forward to early 2022.
The trio and Keller had fought the momentous dispute, which culminated in the fact that the DFB President had called his Vice Koch “Freisler”. A comparison with Roland Freisler, the chairman of the People’s Court under National Socialism. The radical restructuring was therefore called for by a number of people.
After Matthäus, Reiner Calmund also spoke out in favor of still Bayern boss Karl-Heinz Rummenigge as an innovator at the DFB. “He stands for competence, experience, sovereignty and has the right recognition throughout Europe. There is no personality in Germany who could represent the youth, amateur and professional sectors better than he. said the former manager of Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen in the football podcast “Messi & Ronaldo XXL”. Rummenigge himself has so far shown no interest in the job.
Ex-national coach Berti Vogts called another name. “For me, you need a strong man at the head of the association – and that can really only be Uli Hoeneß,” he told the “Rheinische Post”. World champion captain Philipp Lahm, head of organization of the Munich European Championship games in the summer and the home tournament in 2024, is also repeatedly brought into play. The anti-corruption expert Sylvia Schenk recently expressed interest.
Away from the “culture of allegations”
The amateur sports representative Ute Groth, who was not allowed to vote against Keller in the end in 2019, said she was currently working with a team on profound reform proposals. “There are capable people everywhere who can bring experience and knowledge,” she said. The alienation of the grassroots between the amateurs and professional footballers is “blatant – we have to approach each other”. Away from the “culture of allegations” and towards “understanding” and “support”.
Koch wants to accompany this process as interim president for the third time until the new election. Whether he will end his career as a functionary is still open. The 62-year-old is no longer aiming for a position on the presidium or the DFB board. Koch currently also heads the Bavarian and South German Football Associations and also sits on the Executive Committee of the European Football Union, which, according to the UEFA statutes, would still be possible after his departure as DFB vice-president. If the DFB does not request the dismissal.
An exchange of letters between Koch and DFL managing director Christian Seifert had revealed deep rifts between the two officials, which stand for the current difficult-to-resolve conflict between the two camps. Peters is deputy spokesman for the Presidium of the German Football League – it is accordingly difficult to imagine that he and Koch will work together harmoniously in the coming months. But it has to be at least constructive: Among other things, the commitment of Hansi Flick as national coach promoted by DFB director Oliver Bierhoff is pending, Joachim Löw will stop after the EM in the summer.
Koch also seems to be difficult to place for the professional as DFB representative in UEFA until 2025 – especially since Rummenigge was recently re-elected to the decision-making committee. However, a DFB representative would not automatically move up for Koch. Deputy General Secretary Heike Ullrich is to temporarily take over Curtius’ divisions. The permanent promotion of the qualified sports economist does not seem to be ruled out.
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