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DFB President Fritz Keller: "It was a lot of fun"
Photo:
Patrick Seeger / dpa
Joachim Löw has the situation under control again.
After the 6-0 draw against Spain, there was heavy speculation as to whether the national coach might lose his job.
It is now clear: he will remain in office.
The 2014 world champion coach will retire to his home town of Freiburg over the next few months and calmly prepare for the national team's appearance at the European championship next June.
For another Freiburg resident, however, the next few weeks will be unpleasant.
Fritz Keller, the President of the German Football Association (DFB), has to be asked whether he is actually suitable for the office.
There was a violent row on Monday between the winemaker from Breisgau and Löw.
The two men had arranged to meet at the DFB headquarters in Frankfurt for a summit.
In the presence of the Presidential Committee of the DFB, Keller and Löw discussed the question of how the troubled national team should go on.
Löw is said to have massively attacked Keller in the course of the debate.
According to observers, SPIEGEL reported that the national coach had reproached the head of the association, feeling that he had betrayed him.
Löw felt he was being led
The reason: Keller had apparently promised Löw after the 6-0 draw against Spain to stand by him despite the embarrassment.
In a press release the day after the gossip in Seville, the president actually let it be known that he fully supported the players of the national team and that the path he had taken with young players was exactly the right one.
The name of the national coach was not mentioned in the declaration.
The statement, which apparently had not been discussed with other members of the DFB Presidium, was emailed to the media - and hit like a bomb.
There was immediate speculation about a possible dismissal of Löw or a resignation of the national coach.
When it was also said that Löw had to present an analysis of the Seville blackout to the DFB Presidium at a regular meeting on December 4th, it looked as if he was seriously counted.
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The world looked different: National coach Löw and President Keller at the end of November 2019
Photo: Simon Hoffmann / UEFA via Getty Images
Löw felt he was being led.
Also, so confidants say, he was angry that he had to explain himself at all.
In order to end the speculation in the media and among the fans, the national coach urged a quick clarification of the situation.
So it came to the premature meeting with Keller and other DFB officials on Monday.
Löw was very emotional but also self-confident during the interview in the library at the DFB headquarters, insiders report.
"There was a lot going on." Keller was surprised by the vehemence of the national coach.
According to the "Bild" newspaper, the president is said to have tried to get the angry coach to agree to resign after the European Championship.
Löw, whose contract runs until 2022, is said to have refused.
After the exchange of blows between Löw and Keller, the members of the DFB Presidium were switched on.
Another press release was written at the end of the meeting.
This time one that was better coordinated.
In it, Löw's work was enthusiastically praised.
The management of the DFB is certain, it was now said, that the 2014 world champion coach will play an "exciting European Championship" with his team.
Hipp Hipp Hurray.
Löw had spoken to Keller Tacheles - and prevailed.
Also DFB director Oliver Bierhoff, who had indirectly put Löw up for discussion with an interview before the 6-0 draw against Spain (He said: "The path that the national coach has taken, I'll go up to and including the EM." Löws runs Contract until 2022), is said to have been criticized by Löw.
It is said that he apologized to Löw.
The eternal national coach, who, according to surveys, most fans no longer consider the right person in the post, emerges stronger from the cause.
He just keeps going.
And basement?
Another strange appearance
On Wednesday noon, the President gave a large press conference in Frankfurt.
A lot of media representatives had joined in.
Everyone wanted to know something about the argument with Löw.
However, a spokeswoman announced that the president would not comment.
Instead, Keller spoke about the important work of the volunteers at the clubs in times of Corona.
He didn't want to talk about Seville's 6-0 draw, "even if that would be attractive for one or the other," said Keller.
Rather, he wants to talk about the "heroines and heroes" in voluntary work in order to give them the platform they deserve.
It still looked like someone was standing in the stormy rain, but pretending that the sun was shining.
It was another strange appearance by a man who slowly no one knows what he stands for.
Keller, DFB president for over a year, took over the office from Reinhard Grindel, who had to leave after several affairs.
Keller, long-time president of SC Freiburg, seemed to be exactly the right person to get the DFB, damaged by the summer fairy tale scandal, back on track.
The 63-year-old is a successful entrepreneur.
At his winery near Freiburg, one hears, he appears as the sole ruler.
What the boss says is done.
In the widespread DFB empire, in which many alpha animals want to rule, Keller sometimes seems lost, without orientation.
For months, the president has been fighting for power with Secretary General Friedrich Curtius.
Keller recently absolved Franz Beckenbauer of his responsibility in the summer fairy tale affair for no reason.
There was criticism from all sides.
Grandiose failed maneuver
Keller's approach to Personnel Loew is also causing some DFB officials to shake their heads.
Observers report that after the disgrace in Seville, the President never really pursued the plan to force Löw out of office at short notice.
The fact that Keller did not want to publicly stand behind the national coach, instead fueling speculation with an airy press release, seems to be due to the fact that the DFB boss does not want to link his fate with the Löws.
This is how association insiders interpret it.
With a certain distance to the controversial coach, Keller wants to be held jointly liable in the event of a failure at the EM.
If that was actually the plan, the maneuver has failed terribly.
The DFB Presidium meets on Friday.
Löw will then no longer be an issue - but the wandering president will.
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