During the FC Bayern he won title after title for years and was considered one of the best, if not the best he It was the best managed club in the world DFB mainly with the negatives Headlines In the spotlight. Raids, failed marketing campaigns, growing alienation, not to mention sporting misery.
Despite the appeal of coaching the former German national team, a coaching position at FC Bayern was much more exciting.
The DFB and Bayern change their roles
In 2024 the roles are reversed a bit. Chaos still reigns in Munich after the failed transfer of power between former greats Uli Hoeneß and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. His specially chosen successors, Hasan Salihamidzic and Oliver Kahn, failed and had to leave due to the failed change of coach from Julian Nagelsmann to Thomas Tuchel.
The club's new management, consisting of general manager Jan-Christian Dreesen, sporting director Max Eberl and sporting director Christoph Freund, still does not have the reputation of its predecessors and the resulting chaos seems greater than expected.
The Völler effect in the DFB
But on the DFB campus in Frankfurt there is a quiet idyll thanks to one man: Rudi Völler. “Aunt Käthe”, as she is affectionately called, has returned to association activity since the elimination in the preliminary round of the 2022 World Cup. Since then, the DFB has been very dusted.
The appointment of Andreas Rettig as the new CEO last year was evidence of a new direction. For years, Rettig was a strong counterpoint to the powerful bosses of football. Not everyone liked choosing him for this role. But that's exactly what it took.
When Nagelsmann, fired by FC Bayern, replaced Hansi Flick on the national coaching bench, the next surprising name emerged. A young coach, who did not get into people's hearts as a footballer and who had no past in the DFB, that was unusual in the DFB.
Nagelsmann brings a breath of fresh air
It also brings a breath of fresh air. A freshness that the association so desperately needed after all these years. Since then, Völler and Nagelsmann have been working together in close and harmonious collaboration. This new harmony eventually translated into another sporting success in March.
These test matches sparked something in the coach. “With successful and passionate performances we have the opportunity to captivate an entire country,” says Nagelsmann in the association's statement. “The two victories against are a preview of this France and the Netherlands given in March. I was very moved by the enthusiasm of the fans. Now we want to play together in a successful European Championship at home, we are all passionate about it.”
Nagelsmann's confession is “a great message”
The selection of Nagelsmann by the DFB brings peace of mind to the association and the team ahead of the tournament. For him it was a “decision of the heart.” This commitment to the national team will also push one or two players further and for Rettig, his commitment is “a great message internally and externally.”
Something is growing together. It all started with Völler, Nagelsmann brought him into the team. From a chaotic store to a showcase project (now the only thing missing is the Euro Cup title…).