Christoph Daum has been fighting his lung cancer for months.
The former Bundesliga coach has now spoken openly about his illness.
Cologne – He is a cult coach in the Bundesliga, became German champion with VfB Stuttgart and wrote sad football history with Bayer Leverkusen.
Christoph Daum is currently playing the hardest game of his life: The 69-year-old is fighting lung cancer.
Christopher Paul Daum |
Born: October 24, 1953 (Age: 69 years old), Zwickau |
Positions as a coach (including): 1. FC Cologne, VfB Stuttgart, Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt |
Greatest successes: German champion (1992), Turkish champion (1995, 2004, 2005), Austrian champion (2003) |
Christoph Daum suffers from lung cancer
In an interview with
Sport Bild,
the native of Zwickau spoke openly about the decisive routine examination last summer.
“In the process, irregularities occurred, as a result of which the lung carcinoma was discovered.
That’s why I can only advise everyone over the age of 50 to have regular check-ups.”
According to Daum, the treatment is currently going well.
He is “currently in phase two, the immune therapy.
This should lead to the threatening cancer condition becoming a chronic one".
Christoph Daum was active as a trainer in Cologne, Stuttgart, Leverkusen and Frankfurt
Daum last worked from 2016 to 2017 as the Romanian national coach.
In Germany he led VfB Stuttgart to the championship in 1992, having previously worked for 1. FC Köln.
With Bayer Leverkusen he narrowly missed out on winning the Bundesliga title in 2000. The 2-0 defeat in Unterhaching, which made the Werkself runners-up, is unforgettable.
Daum was still training Eintracht Frankfurt in 2011 - important stations in his career were also Austria and Turkey.
In the 90s and 2000s he clinched a few titles with Besiktas, Fenerbahce and Austria Wien.
That's what the DFB stars from the summer fairy tale of 2006 are doing today
That's what the DFB stars from the summer fairy tale of 2006 are doing today
Christoph Daum was a smoker: "Between half a pack and one pack a day"
And now cancer.
Daum was always considered a heavy smoker.
That was over immediately after the diagnosis, as he revealed in the interview.
"I smoked between half a pack and a pack a day.
That definitely contributed to my illness.” Then, after 38 years, he stopped from one day to the next.
“It is purely a matter of will.
That's the way I am."
Daum is realistic about his illness.
"It would be wishful thinking to believe that you could beat cancer and say: It's gone." For him it's more about being able to say: "We have it under control and I can grow old with it.
Some therapies will still be necessary for this.”
In the video: Christoph Daum made his illness public
Christoph Daum suffers from cancer: "I have an uninvited guest in my body"
His qualities as a coach and motivator are now a help, reported Daum.
His whole life has been about getting up from a loss and winning the next game.
This constant struggle is now an advantage for him.
And further: “I have an uninvited guest in my body that I have to fight constantly.
I face it and I will drive it away or at least limit it so that we can live well together.”
Daum last published an emotional message at Christmas.
(akl/dpa)
