The three former DFB presidents Fritz Keller, Reinhard Grindel and Theo Zwanziger call for the resignation of the current interim boss Rainer Koch for a “real new beginning”.
“End the Koch system,” write Keller, Grindel and Zwanziger in a statement available to the “Deutsche Presse-Agentur” to the delegates of the DFB Bundestag this Friday. The long-standing DFB official Koch is up for election for the position of vice president.
“With the EURO 2024, the DFB Academy and the amateur football master plan, there are great projects that are essential for the future of football in Germany. You can also ensure a better reputation for the DFB,” writes the trio. “But for that we need a change in the culture of the association. Power games, intrigues and indiscretions must be a thing of the past.”
Bernd Neuendorf, a candidate from the influential amateur camp, and Peter Peters, who is supported by professional football, are up for election on Friday in Bonn for the presidency. The “kicker” reported on Sunday evening from a meeting of Peters, Keller, Grindel and Zwanziger in Frankfurt/Main.
Keller (term of office 2019-2021), Grindel (2016-2019) and Zwanziger (2004-2012) had to resign from their offices – Keller not least because of a dispute with Koch. During a DFB meeting, Keller addressed Koch by the name of a Nazi judge.
Grindel demands: “This has to come to an end”
Zwanziger and Grindel also clearly criticized Koch. He had repeatedly denied the allegations against him. Most recently, even when Peters criticized Koch, Koch announced that he would not take part in “personal debates”.
“With the intrigues against people, it has always been accepted that the integrity of the DFB was damaged at the same time. That has to come to an end,” said Grindel.
Keller said: “My experience is: Koch is a cleavage, he lives from intrigue. His system is that of conjuring up false enemy images, of exerting pressure. I’m sure the delegates know from their own experience what I’m talking about.”