New bang in German football
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge announces immediate resignation from the DFB
September 17, 2023, 3:01 p.m
The DFB simply cannot find peace. A few days after Andreas Rettig was appointed as the new managing director of the DFB, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is leaving the association’s task force. Red Bull boss Oliver Mintzlaff goes with him. The withdrawal is also said to have something to do with the new powerful man.
The appointment of Andreas Rettig as managing director of the German Football Association (DFB) has led to a new rift in the association, which has been plagued by crises for years. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Oliver Mintzlaff have announced their immediate resignation from the DFB task force – and justified this at least in part with Rettig’s commitment as Oliver Bierhoff’s successor.
In a statement, Rummenigge expressed disappointment in the manner in which the new managing director was appointed. “However, the current expert council, which has a public profile for the DFB, has never been equipped with the appropriate decision-making powers to be able to work effectively, effectively and purposefully,” it said: “In addition, the task force was not involved in important decisions of the DFB, sometimes not even at all We learned about Andreas Rettig’s appointment as Sports Director of the DFB through the media, a very sensitive personality and a decision worth discussing. On this basis, trusting cooperation is not possible.”
Aki Watzke remains on board
Rettig is considered a controversial personality. Because of his views, he has repeatedly been offended in the past and is controversial in the industry. The rampant commercialization of football is a thorn in Rettig’s side. In recent years, Rettig has repeatedly presented himself in the media as the chief critic – in doing so he did not spare associations, clubs, professionals or officials. The 60-year-old was often in clinch, especially with the bosses of record champions Bayern Munich.
The task force was founded after the national team was eliminated from the preliminary round at the World Cup finals in Qatar last year. The expert council should ensure that the association and the national team get out of the slump with a view to the 2024 European Championship in Germany. The search for an heir for Bierhoff, who resigned after the World Cup, should be a main task of the task force.
So far, in addition to Rummenigge and Mintzlaff, the committee also included national team sports director Rudi Völler, DFB President Bernd Neuendorf and deputy Hans-Joachim Watzke.