Insights and strange stories
©IMAGO
Volker Struth and his agency “Sports 360” are one of the most influential consultants in the business. In addition to national coach Julian Nagelsmann, he looks after numerous top professionals such as national players Angelo Stiller and Tom Bischof. In the “Bild” podcast “Phrasenmäher”, the 59-year-old gave deep insights into his work and all sorts of strange stories from the past decades. Struth explained why his client Nagelsmann rejected FC Bayern’s second attempt shortly before the home European Championship, why manager Jörg Schmadtke was his toughest negotiating partner and how he wanted to bring Florian Wirtz to Real Madrid via text message.
“At the stage when it was about a move to Liverpool or Bayern, I called Xabi Alonso and told him: ‘You have to take the boy from Leverkusen to Real.’ Xabi replied: ‘You don’t have to tell me, but Florentino Pérez (Real President/Red.).’ Then I actually sent him a message: ‘Dear Florentino. I’ve told you several times: I have a player here that I would highly recommend to you. “Florian Wirtz makes every team in the world better,'” Struth said in the podcast. Pérez then thanked him, but referred him to Madrid’s general director José Sanchez, and the offer never came. “It just wasn’t right that year because of the squad and the budget. Real Madrid’s coffers aren’t that full either. But my wish remains that Florian plays there one day.”
Struth’s insights: “Always a good slap in the face with Schmadtke”
In 2024, FC Bayern tried to lure Nagelsmann, who had only recently been working as national coach, back to Säbener Straße. Struth provides insights into the conversations. “I had it in the balls and knew that they would come again – and that’s how it was. Max Eberl called me and then Sascha Breese and I met with him and Jan-Christian Dreesen in Munich.” Nagelsmann himself was not present at the discussions. “Julian was never there and had also asked us to handle it very sensitively. In March there were international matches in France (2:0) and against Holland (2:1), which went perfectly. The mood before the home European Championship was slowly gaining momentum. The fact that we were even having discussions could have been a danger for the European Championship. In the end, that was a very important reason why Julian didn’t do it – especially since the sting (the dismissal/d.Red.) was also a bit deep.”
Uli Hoeneß also made another attempt at Struth: “He called me and said that the separation from Julian wasn’t Bayern-like and that he would welcome Julian becoming a coach again.” Ultimately, Nagelsmann ruled out a return and instead extended his contract with the DFB.
When Struth bagged the Ilicevic transfer in the bathroom
Struth also revealed strange anecdotes from his life as a consultant in the “Bild” podcast. He also once bagged a transfer in the bathroom. “When I came out of the shower naked: Frank Arnesen called about Ivo Ilicevic, who then also moved to HSV.” When asked about his toughest negotiating partner, the agent named sports director Jörg Schmadtke, who now works at Hannover 96. “To put it plainly in German, we always had a good fight with him. I just call Schmaddi Brummbär when I write him a text message.”
He had the shortest negotiation with his former client Toni Kroos. “At Bayern we once had a negotiation about Toni Kroos. I left after three minutes because it was clear that we wouldn’t get together.” When asked, Struth emphasized that the Kroos deal with Real Madrid was his best deal.
Struth also commented on ex-Bayern board member Matthias Sammer’s recent general criticism of the consulting industry. Today’s BVB advisor said on Sky: “I would get rid of them. Firstly, they earn too much money, secondly, they are unnecessary, thirdly, it doesn’t create a good constellation between player and club.”
Struth countered in the “Phrasenmäher”: “I find that quite violent. There’s a large portion of populism there and a bit of hypocrisy. He was a consultant himself and tried his hand at the business. Who knows what he would do today if it had worked? I also remember how, as Bayern Munich’s sports director, he called me every day when it came to the transfer of Mario Götze – which, by the way, ended with death threats and police protection at my door. If I “When you think about how often he used me there, I find his statements very surprising and unnecessary. Not to lump all the consultants into one bag – that would be my first request.”
