From the BZ editorial team
Union manager Oliver Ruhnert (51) is still in the spotlight. Now he makes it clear that a commitment to the DFB is out of the question for him.
With Union he rushes from success to success. He has criticized the DFB a few times in the past. On the one hand for the abolition of the junior federal leagues in their current form. On the other hand, national coach Hansi Flick (58) got his fat off for not nominating Union professionals like Rani Khedira (29) and Robin Knoche (31) for the national team.
Although Ruhnert has been in talks for a job with the DFB in the meantime, that is out of the question for him. Ruhnert in the ZDF sports studio: “The DFB only wants peace, joy, pancakes. That’s why I don’t fit in there very well. I wish that we would have successful national teams again, but if we only tinker with the symptoms, we won’t succeed.”
After all, Flick and DFB sports director Rudi Völler (63) were in the stands when the Union won in Darmstadt (4-1). “It’s the job of the two of them to watch Bundesliga games,” said Ruhnert. He even spoke to Völler on site. Apparently not with patches…
Also exciting: The transfer window closes on Friday. Ruhnert: “We want to add another central defender. One or the other would like to change.”
In Darmstadt, defender Dominique Heintz (30) and offensive players Tim Skarke (26), Milos Pantovic (27) and Mikkel Kaufmann (22) were not in the squad. They are considered candidates for change.
Bonucci coming to Union?
Leonardo Bonucci (36, Juventus Turin) should still be an issue.
Ruhnert explained in the gym: “I assume that we will complete our planning by next Friday. Then we will know if he is coming or not.”