The new DFB President Bernd Neuendorf has been in office for 100 days. The head of the association wants to set new priorities – and perhaps soon abolish the term “the team”.
There is no shortage of work for Bernd Neuendorf. The range of topics for the Bonn-born functionary is wide-ranging. Since his enthronement in his hometown on March 11, he has been leading the crisis-ridden association from the secret football capital of Frankfurt and is setting new priorities.
In the debate about the controversial term “The Team” for the men’s senior national team, a decision should already be made at the end of July. soon become one “representative survey” commissioned, revealed the 60-year-old on Monday (06/20/22) in a media round. He is not a friend of a “never-ending-story”, so Neuendorf. “Then we have a decision and can concentrate on the sport.”
Among other things, Borussia Dortmund’s managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke had spoken out in favor of abolishing the designation. Watzke is Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the German Football League and is therefore also a member of the DFB Executive Committee. The director responsible for the national teams, Oliver Bierhoff, would no longer oppose the abolition of the term.
Not too much arguing with Infantino
In the digital media round, Neuendorf also said that he could not share FIFA boss Gianni Infantino’s Qatar euphoria a few months before the World Cup. “First of all, I’m basically looking forward to the World Cup in terms of sport. The whole circumstances are such that they are certainly questionable. It’s an event where you say whether it will be the biggest and greatest event of all time – there I would put a question mark after it“said Neuendorf, who is to take the place of Peter Peters on the FIFA Council.
Infantino never tires of spouting superlatives about the desert tournament taking place in Qatar from November 21st to December 18th. “This will be the best World Cup ever and it will unite the Arab world”, he prophesied repeatedly. Neuendorf tried to carefully distance himself. “I’ve noticed that Infantino has been criticized in one place or another. He’s controversial in parts. It’s important to talk to him personally.” said the DFB official. But he doesn’t want to start a rift without talking to the Swiss, said the head of the German association. that be “not honest and not fair”.