Frankfurt / Main (dpa) - One year after his resignation as DFB president in the wake of the watch affair, Reinhard Grindel does not categorically rule out a return to the football business. The 58-year-old has learned his lessons from the time at the top of the association.
"As a DFB president, I have experienced a lot and I am still well networked internationally. I have also made mistakes that can be learned from. So I can not completely rule out that I can bring my experience back into a job in the football business "At least now I would know what to expect. That was not always the case in the office of president. Otherwise I would have protected myself better," said Grindel of the German Press Agency.
The former CDU member of the Bundestag had to vacate his post on April 2, 2019 after almost three years. Criticism of his office and, above all, a watch gift from a Ukrainian functionary colleague caused his departure. "After an intensive and important family phase for me, I will decide on my professional perspective in the summer," said Grindel. There were several options, some of them apart from sports.
He still has contact to UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin, DFB General Secretary Friedrich Curtius and some presidents of the 21 national associations. "When asked for advice, I'm happy to give it, but internally and not through the newspaper," said Grindel. He particularly missed the visits to the football base, he reported. In times of the coronavirus pandemic, the association had to "create framework conditions so that voluntary work on the spot has a good future after the crisis," said Grindel.
Grindel portrait on the DFB homepage
