Dealing with staff questionable
The strange soap opera at the top of the DFB
By Jonas Gerdes & Anja Rau
October 24, 2023, 8:05 p.m
Martina Voss-Tecklenburg speaks at the dentists’ day, but Horst Hrubesch trains the DFB women. This causes a stir – because everyone believes she is still on sick leave. A mistake that the DFB leadership encourages. The president and managing director don’t play fair, not even with another person.
It takes a while until Andreas Rettig manages to turn on his microphone. The official introduction of Horst Hrubesch as interim national coach of the DFB women is underway. It’s Friday, before a weekend that will turn everything upside down. In retrospect it becomes clear: at one point or another it would have been better for the new sports director to remain silent instead of speaking into the microphone. Because what the 60-year-old says in the next 50 minutes is probably not the whole truth in many respects.
The press conference is not only about Horst Hrubesch, but also about Martina Voss-Tecklenburg. The (still) national coach who took sick leave at the beginning of September 2023 after a completely messed up Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. What her husband Hermann Tecklenburg says about her state of health suggests burnout symptoms, which probably also appeared during the tournament.
DFB is publicly concerned about health
Rettig says he wants to approach her “soon.” “Of course.” And he doesn’t think that “she will refuse. Why should she?” Rettig does not mention that Voss-Tecklenburg is on vacation approved by the DFB at this time and is even giving lectures to dentists and prefabricated farmers – i.e. has recovered. DFB President Bernd Neuendorf also emphasizes again: “The most important thing is that she gets healthy.” And: “We have an agreement that things will only be discussed then. There will be no pressure in any way.” The DFB is acting “sensibly, politely and responsibly” in this matter.
Voss-Tecklenburg explains that she has been “on my DFB-approved vacation for 14 days” when there are reports about her speaking activities. Rettig also leaves it unmentioned that, according to RTL/ntv information, the 55-year-old has even sought a conversation with the DFB leadership in the past few days.
Instead, he states that the DFB is in a “very difficult situation” due to the national coach’s illness. The situation shouldn’t be that difficult anymore: Voss-Tecklenburg will not return to the DFB coaching bench, the tablecloth between the team and the coach has been cut after the disappointing preliminary round exit on the other side of the world. According to RTL/ntv information, Rettig and DFB President Bernd Neuendorf are actively looking for a long-term solution to succeed Horst Hrubesch. There is no other way to interpret Rettig’s sentence “We must be prepared in the event that there is no return” anyway.
It seems almost cynical that both the president and his managing director keep talking about the “duty of care” and the “responsibility” that one has as an employer in Voss-Tecklenburg. How great is the responsibility when you pretend not to want to put any pressure on the 55-year-old, but at the same time start to arrange her successor? Why doesn’t the DFB leadership take up the national coach’s offer to talk? And how do you find a solution for the end of Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s vacation? Yes, your “recreation vacation” with well-paid lectures comes at the wrong time, when everyone is eagerly waiting for the World Cup analysis. She has to accept this accusation. But otherwise: What an unpleasant situation for the 2022 European vice champion.
Chatzialexiou is stalled
Panagiotis Chatzialexiou is also currently feeling the disgraceful way the DFB leadership treats deserving employees. Officially, the man whom everyone in the association just calls “Joti” is “Head of National Teams.” Even outsiders can immediately see that this position will no longer exist in the new DFB structure. Two sports directors, Hannes Wolf and Rudi Völler, are already working under Neuendorf and Rettig, and a third – for women’s football – is still to be appointed. The group of candidates for interviews has already been narrowed down to “less than five people,” Rettig said. “We’re working hard.” If possible, the position should be filled before a decision on Voss-Tecklenburg is made. The three directors have already largely taken over the tasks of the ambitious Chatzialexiou or will continue to do so. Rettig nevertheless asserts that “nothing has changed” in Chatzialexiou’s position and job profile.
This is insensitive and misleading. Because it has long been clear internally that they want to get rid of the inconvenient Chatzialexiou. The son of Greek immigrants has turned powerful national associations against him because, among other things, he energetically pushed forward the “Project Future”. With this program, the DFB wants to return to the top level of football in the world. Incidentally, it was decided by the Presidium itself and passed by the DFB Bundestag without a dissenting vote.
Chatzialexiou would have deserved more respect. He has been working for the largest sports association in the world since 2003 and knows the processes, structures and personnel inside out. He is highly regarded by most players on the women’s national team. After the preliminary round exit, he stood up to protect the team and coach. Now he probably shares a fate with Voss-Tecklenburg and has to go. Andreas Rettig and Bernd Neuendorf don’t want to say it openly yet. Going to the microphone – ideally together – would be the better way for everyone involved.