Recently there was speculation about Toni Kroos returning to the DFB team.
I don’t want to offend anyone, but somewhere it’s a disgrace for German football that no one has managed to take over the position that Toni vacated when he resigned in 2021. Apparently, without Toni, Germany doesn’t have the quality in this position that they need to compete at the top international level.
A change is also imminent for women, which the new sports director Nia Künzer must drive forward with the successor to Horst Hrubesch. Have you had any discussions with her?
We’ve seen each other a few times and exchanged ideas. I’ve been to the DFB off and on over the past few weeks, so I’m not persona non grata there, if anyone might have thought that (laughs). She knows that she can contact me at any time. I really hope that she can start her job with a positive experience – qualifying for the Olympics.
How would you describe the current situation in German women’s football? The World Cup was a sporting debacle, the Nations League was bumpy, and not a single team in the Champions League survived the group phase.
The current results in the clubs are a reflection of the recent performances in the DFB team. The fact that neither Wolfsburg, who have already failed to qualify for the Champions League, nor FC Bayern and Eintracht Frankfurt managed to reach the knockout round is a pointer. A negative exclamation mark. It is also well known that the elimination from the World Cup was a historic event. The women’s national team needs clarity as soon as possible as to who will look after this team in the future.
In the current situation I would vote for a man.
Joti Chatzialexiou on the successor to Horst Hrubesch
Surely they had already someone on the list.
I am and have always been a supporter of female trainers. It is important for women’s football that there are female role models who signal to the outside world that it is possible to take on this position. In the current situation, however, I would speak in favor of a man, as I currently don’t see any German-speaking woman in the coaching position who imposes herself so much that you can’t get past her.
Is a man intruding?
In my opinion, yes. I have one or two people in mind because I have also dealt with this topic. But I expressed that internally and it remains that way.
The name Colin Bell was always a topic.
Yes, but above all because he and South Korea ensured that we were eliminated. That alone is not a seal of approval for becoming a national coach – without meaning any harm. I think the Americans have made a very good catch…
… Emma Hayes from Chelsea FC takes over the US girls …
That would have been a trainer that I could have imagined very well. But the USA was just a bit faster.
I appreciate Tabea and know what she means. It never hurts to get inspiration from home and abroad. But we have enormous quality internally at the DFB. If you are convinced that the trainers in-house have potential, then I think it is logical and right to draw on this potential. Nevertheless: There are alternatives, which I also looked at. But now I’m no longer the one making the decision.
Eintracht Frankfurt’s board spokesman Axel Hellmann recently brought up a spin-off of the league from the DFB. Do you think the idea is effective?
The professionalization of the league is one of the most important topics at the DFB. If we don’t face up to this and make certain adjustments, then the German women’s Bundesliga will be left behind internationally and no longer have the strength of previous years. In the end, as always, it’s about money. And I don’t have to tell you that the time of golden taps at the DFB is over. But I doubt that a spin-off would improve the situation and, for example, the DFL would invest more in women’s football.
It feels like people are always talking about the same topics in women’s football, but development is progressing slowly.
I do believe that a lot has happened in the last few years, but not enough. Again: professionalization is necessary. Increased training for football teachers, enough training pitches, grass heating – simply a much better infrastructure. It can’t be the case that certain clubs offer these conditions and other girls have to train in some field because they don’t get the support they deserve.
DFB managing director Holger Blask has announced a medium-term increase in the league.
We have often discussed this step in the past, and it is also part of the “Future Female Project”. At that time, however, there were no teams that could meet the infrastructural requirements. Today the picture is somewhat better, as some Bundesliga clubs see women’s football as an opportunity to make their club attractive to new target groups. An increase would therefore make sense in the future.
The last 13 months have been more than unsatisfactory in terms of sport, both for men and women. At the beginning of December you were able to celebrate at least one German youth World Cup success in Indonesia; the German U17s became world champions. A conciliatory ending for you?
Definitely. That was very emotional and I was incredibly happy for the boys. But I also know that the teams didn’t look good in terms of sport. Looking back, I can say that going through a crisis helps. This will have been incredibly important for my future positions. The only thing that will be important for German football is that we don’t lie down in a hammock just because the U17s have now become world champions.
Are you worried that this could happen?
We want to see German football back at the top of the world. As of right now I’m feeling a little bit worried because I don’t know whether we’ll have the quality in certain positions to win titles. Germany is a football nation. We will always have a good team and bring out talent. But it shouldn’t be the case that ideas and suggestions drag on for years. And I and my team had to endure that in the “Project Future“. The 9-on-9, for example, which was designed by former DFB sports director Matthias Sammer, was only implemented across Germany in the D-youth after eight years. Eight years are light years in other sectors, so at some point you will lose it If I stay in Germany in terms of my job, then I will certainly continue to fight for these issues.
In addition to you, Tobias Haupt, long-time head of the DFB Academy, has also left the association. Is the DFB tearing down its own work?
Tobi was always an important contact for me. Our goal with the DFB Academy was to bring technical and other innovation topics to our country and make them available to the football family. Mirko Dismer will now take on the lead and continue this task. Some topics continue. On the other hand, I can also imagine that Andreas Rettig will have other priorities.
As of now, another sport is out of the question for me.
Joti Chatzialexiou on his personal future
There has been a lot of speculation recently about your personal future; VfB Stuttgart is currently looking for a sports director. A topic for you?
I have never commented on these rumors and I will not in the future. If there’s anything to report, I’ll announce it. I can say that I am very interested in club football and I would also like to be more involved in day-to-day business. As with coaches who want to be on the pitch with their team day after day at the club, I am also attracted to a job that involves football week after week. VfB is a great club with a wonderful coach. I’m happy for the local people and enjoy watching good football, so I’ll definitely watch one or two VfB games in the future.
Former DFB manager Oliver Bierhoff is currently working as a consultant for the New England Patriots in the NFL. Is such a change in sport conceivable for you?
My heart belongs to football. As of now, another sport is out of the question for me. I grew up as a little boy on the football field and would like to continue to advance the things that I have experienced and been able to develop over the past few years at the DFB. Football is where I’m at my best.