When looking for a successor for Rudi Völler as sports director of the DFB, Sami Khedira was out of the running – but it didn’t fail because of the money. A replacement solution should already be available.
Sami Khedira already had his plan for his way back to the top in the drawer. And actually, it seemed, the signing at the DFB as head of sport was imminent – surprisingly the negotiations burst.
Nevertheless, the sluggish search by the crisis-ridden German Football Association (DFB), which has been going on for months, is apparently on the home straight, despite the failed talks with the Rio world champion. DFB boss Bernd Neuendorf informed the association’s presidency in a video link that Khedira would not inherit the legacy of former director Oliver Bierhoff.
Sportschau information: Salary was not even an issue
According to “Frankfurter Rundschau” (FR), the DFB could present an alternative plan at the start of the coming week. Less than a year before the important European Championship at home, Hannes Wolf (42), former Bundesliga coach and current DFB U20 trainer, is to be appointed technical director and head of a new competence team. The responsibility would then be spread across several shoulders. According to FR, ex-professionals Hanno Balitsch and Sandro Wagner, both already active in the association, are also available.
“Sport-Bild” cited different ideas about Khedira’s salary, structures and influence as the reasons for the failure of the Khedira negotiations. The DFB did not want to comment on the media reports when asked by SID. The sports show has now learned: The alleged salary expectations, which would have put too much strain on the financially ailing DFB according to “Sport-Bild”, were not yet an issue in the talks between the parties.
Committees worry about their own influence
Rather, according to Sportschau information, it is correct that Khedira should not be given the powers he wanted for far-reaching changes because too many different DFB committees and state associations were worried about their own influence.
Before the report on the failed negotiations, Khedira had taken a critical look at the association – and advocated extensive reforms for the way back to the top of the world. He called for a quick rethink in the youth field, and the former midfielder also expressed serious concerns about the chances of the national team at the European Championship. However, the DFB did not want to give him the influence that Khedira had hoped for.
negative headlines don’t tear off
After the sporting disappointments from the men’s team, the U21 and most recently the DFB women, the headlines about the DFB never stop. For months, Neuendorf has been referring to ongoing talks and an imminent agreement in the search for a sports director. But the financial problems limited the scope, the personnel construction sites burden the association.
Especially since at the latest since the World Cup debacle of the soccer players around Alexandra Popp, an expert with the main responsibility for sporting matters in women’s soccer is also being sought. According to “FR”, Joti Chatzialexiou, previously sporting director of the DFB national teams, is a candidate for the position that Popp or DFB Vice Celia Sasic, among others, had requested after the preliminary round in Australia.