FC Bayern's CEO Herbert Hainer talks about his new mission with the record champion, local rival TSV 1860, and tough negotiations with his predecessor Uli Hoeneß.
- In mid-November 2019 Herbert Hainer took over the presidency at FC Bayern .
- The former Adidas boss has been dealing with the record champions from Munich since 2001.
- On the occasion of the milestone anniversary , the 65-year-old answers our questions in detail.
Munich - Herbert Hainer has only been president of FC Bayern since November 15, 2019, but the 65-year-old has been in love with the club from Säbener Straße for much longer. After an initial excursion to the TSV 1860, Hainer has long been a passionate fan of the Reds, and from 2001 he also had a lot to do with FCB as a CEO of Adidas. His path finally led to the top of the association via the supervisory board. In the anniversary interview , Hainer talks about his goals and prominent predecessors.
Herbert Hainer has been a fan of Bayern Munich since the 1970s
Mr. Hainer, 120 years FC Bayern - when did your love for the club start?
Herbert Hainer: Very early on, so let's say: I'm maybe just under half of that time. My uncle took me as a little steppke to the Grünwald stadium, but for TSV 1860 in the Bundesliga. That was in 1963. But at some point the appeal of FC Bayern caught me too. Especially when Franz Beckenbauer played here, whom I always admired. In retrospect, you have to say yes: everything else looked like soccer work - and then came this Franz Beckenbauer. Suddenly everything was elegant, so light, so great to look at, without strength. You had the feeling that he never sweated when playing football. When Bavaria was so successful in the 1970s, I was a real Bayern fan.
But her brother remained a blue, didn't he?
Hainer: My brother played with the lions - but today he goes to the stadium with me and prefers to look at Bayern (laughs). That is not surprising. He was a fan of sixties for a long time, but he's interested in good football. And the Bavarians play it more than the lions.
Was there family strife?
Hainer: Disagreement may have been said too much - but a lot has been discussed.
How long have you been a member?
Hainer: About 15, 16, 17 years ago. I have the membership number 86 459. I work my way down. But you have to be careful if you get one-digit - it will be dangerous (laughs).
Many presidents have put a special stamp on the office. What are your guidelines?
Hainer: The most important thing is to enable the club to make this change, this change that is already drastic. Because with the departure of Uli Hoeneß and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in two years, two formative people will go, who have made the club into what it is in a symbiosis. Both have incredible football expertise, but are almost opposite personalities. For the benefit of FC Bayern, they both brought in their character, the one with an incredible amount of heart, warmth and hugs that almost crushed you. And the other, who is the cooler specialist, leads the AG perfectly. The two worked together incredibly well and lived what made FC Bayern so special: that they were successful in sport, but also economically. There is hardly a club in the world that looks like we do. That has a stadium that is paid off. A performance center. A time deposit account with 100 million euros. Bringing this symbiosis together is incredibly difficult. That's why I want to bring this change, this transition - to then lead FC Bayern into the new, digital world. These are two tasks that are not easy. But I think that I can help FC Bayern with the experience from my professional life and also with my economic knowledge.
FC Bayern: Hainer explains the entry into the digital world
What do the digitization plans look like?
Hainer: I don't mean to revolutionize the payment system in the Allianz Arena, but rather the entry into the new digital world. The new generation of fans deals very differently with football, with sports, with their heroes. When you see how quickly fans have information on their phones. If you see how a Cristiano Ronaldo can influence his 130 million followers. We as a club also have a responsibility for our players that they pass on certain values of the club to their target groups, to the young people. How to communicate with future fans - this all creates new tasks. We have to build structures and processes that have a line.
Is that more your job while Oliver Kahn is taking care of the Bayern gene?
Hainer: We brought Oliver in because he has this football expertise and also has the FC Bayern gene in him. It couldn't be better. But we both live on both sides. One very important point for me is still: I believe that FC Bayern is so popular in the world because it is not only successful in sport but also for its social responsibility. Today almost every football fan knows that FC Bayern make so-called saving games. We have already saved St. Pauli, Kaiserslautern, Darmstadt. But it's also about responsibility in society, in Munich and in Germany. Football has an uncanny bond. We have ten different nationalities, five different religions, different skin tones playing in the professional team - yet they celebrate together, play together, fight together. There is nowhere else that you can bring people together as integratively as in football. FC Bayern was always aware of this responsibility. And that will be even more important in the future than it was before.
Society, politics: are you sometimes surprised by the pressure to show responsibility far beyond sport?
Hainer: Yes and no. I am not surprised because I know the broad impact of football. I have been with Adidas for 30 years and have been involved in all major sporting events. There I saw the sport's appeal to people. How sport and athletes can influence people. On the other hand, I'm surprised that sometimes people say that football can do everything. It can now end wars and resolve disputes that have arisen from history. Football is overwhelmed, we are also overwhelmed. You have to say that very clearly.
Herbert Hainer on Beckenbauer, the Champagne Willy and Cassius Clay
You have followed in the footsteps of Uli Hoeneß - is your office also dealing with former officials?
Hainer: Of course. I actively witnessed two presidents - Franz Beckenbauer and Uli Hoeneß - because during my time they were also on the supervisory board. I noticed Wilhelm Neudecker from a distance, and of course Kurt Landauer also shaped the story. If I take these four times as a starting point, I find that they were all future-oriented, visionary and formative in a variety of ways. Under Neudecker, Robert Schwan was installed as the first manager of the Bundesliga. Back then people thought: managers? What shoud that? What do we need this for? Today we know the answer. Franz Beckenbauer was unbeatable by his personality alone, he managed the club in his own way. As a player he seemed to be doing everything, as a coach too, then he organized the 2006 World Cup. And then came Uli Hoeneß, who shaped the club like no other. For me, he's the most successful manager the world has had. Without him, there wouldn't be many things here, including the Allianz Arena.
You forgot the champagne Willi.
Hainer: I don't know how formative that was now (laughs). But at least we remembered it.
Are you celebrating victories with champagne and cigars?
Hainer: I can say very clearly: I celebrate like a fan. It can be with alcohol and a cigar and it can also go on into the morning.
The Bavaria President in conversation with reporters Hanna Raif, Manuel Bonke and Jonas Austermann (from right).
© Christina Pahnke / sampics
Louis van Gaal would you call a celebration beast?
Hainer: Certainly. If he calls himself that, that's what I am (laughs).
You were a striker yourself - was your role model at Bayern?
Hainer: I had two role models in the Bundesliga. Jupp Heynckes because I started playing on the left outside. And of course Gerd Müller. But as a footballer per se it was of course Franz Beckenbauer. Maybe because I was an antipole to him. I was quick, but for me it didn't look as elegant as with Franz.
If you meet role models at some point as an employee - what is it like?
Hainer: That was amazing back then. When you meet your childhood heroes that you watched live on TV for the first time, you never forget that moment. I'm friends with Franz Beckenbauer today, we make calls every 14 days, that's just great. It was just as impressive for me when I met Cassius Clay in person.
Do tell!
Hainer: I got up as a little boy at night to watch the boxing matches. I see a parallel to Franz: Heavyweight boxes used to be characterized by heavy, tall, dark-skinned men who hit their heads. And then Cassius Clay came along. He might have had half the weight of the others, but he was so athletic, so quick and weird. Franz had this elegance on the soccer field. When I met Cassius for the first time, he was already sick - but still he had an impressive aura.
FCB president reveals his most beautiful Bayern moment
They have been with the club for two decades. How has it developed since then?
Hainer: In these 20 years, FC Bayern has clearly gained in professionalism. I don't want to say that he was previously unprofessional. But today we have a board that is significantly larger. Outside people with economic expertise have joined. Coupled with athletic competence, this is an impressive mix. We are the third largest club in terms of turnover, we are more profitable than many others. Although football is becoming increasingly difficult to manage. FC Bayern have succeeded.
Your most beautiful Bavaria moment?
Hainer: I had a lot, but two were special. One was the championship in Hamburg when we were vice champions after 90 minutes and after 92 champions. I was in the stadium when Oliver Kahn maltreated the corner flag. Of course, my first Champions League win in 2013 was also very nice when I was already on the Supervisory Board.
Many come back and say: This association is a matter close to the heart. Was it similar with you?
Hainer: My wife wasn't quite as enthusiastic as I was when I came home with the idea (laughs). But you can't say no. You can't afford that! If you are a fan of this club, you are so connected to this club, also economically, if you know the people involved so well and intensively, you don't do that. I love this club! Because I also appreciate and admire him for everything that has been and will be done. Not just in football, but far beyond.
How did you experience negotiations when you were still at Adidas? Were Hoeneß and Co. ice cold - or warm?
Hainer: It wasn't just about contracts, it was also about Adidas' entry. I did that with Uli Hoeneß, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Karl Hopfner. I would say: They were demanding on the one hand, they were aware of the strength of the club, knew about the value. They weren't exactly reluctant. On the other hand, it is also incredibly correct. A promise was met one-to-one after a handshake. Uli always wanted his partners to benefit from the partnership. It was always fair and reliable.
⁉ HERBERT HAINERS IDOL⁉
10 short with the @FCBayern President on YouTube "https://t.co/K3Wj94rwau#FCBB # MünchenIstUnserCourt #MiaSanFamily #FCBayern # 10Short #FCBBtv #FCBBYouTube #HerbertHainer pic.twitter.com/CQEdKS8IPm
And then Schafkopf was played?
Hainer: We never actually played Schafkopf. But I went through various forms of negotiations with FC Bayern. At Tegernsee, of course, with the beetle, in the most diverse rooms on Säbener Straße. There are many anecdotes - of course I will not reveal them (laughs).
Where will FC Bayern Munich be in 120 years?
Most of the meals were good.
Hainer: That's right. This is a negotiating tactic by Uli Hoeneß. That not only does love go through the stomach, but that a good negotiation result is produced with a satisfied stomach. Most of the time it worked.
Many former players are employed in the club, one speaks of a large Bayern family. What distinguishes them?
Hainer: One of the success factors of FC Bayern is that it treats its players and employees as if they were family members. There are also countless stories of players and their families, who have been helped in various forms. The players really appreciate that. Let's take Franck Ribéry as an example: It is almost a declaration of love that comes to Munich from afar. I think that is great!
Ribéry was a frequent guest at Hoeneß. Is your door always open to players?
Hainer: That was already the case with Adidas. It's the same here now. My assistant often comes by and asks: "Should I close the door?" Then I always say: "No, leave it open! Maybe someone comes in and wants to talk to me. "
Did you take over the Uli Hoeneß rattan furniture?
Hainer: My new furniture came just today. I'll put it this way: We have made it a bit more modern (laughs).
Modern into the future - where will FCB be in 120 years?
Hainer: You know the saying: Predictions are difficult, especially if they go into the future. Here it does not need a revolution, but an evolution to continue the association with the values that it embodies. Tolerance, respect, diversity. With these basic values, FC Bayern will remain one of the largest and most valued football clubs in the world in 120 years.
Interview: Hanna Raif, Manuel Bonke & Jonas Austermann
