As of: January 30, 2024, 2:06 p.m
By: Philipp Kessler
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Club legend Dieter Prestin wants to get 1. FC Köln back on track.
© Jan Huebner/Imago/Private
1. FC Cologne is deep in crisis.
Club legends are worried, including Dieter Prestin.
In the tz interview he explains how he wants to save the traditional club.
Cologne – transfer ban, change of coach, 16th place in the table. 1. FC Cologne is stumbling towards the 2nd Bundesliga.
The future of the traditional club is on shaky ground.
A negative development that also worries club legend Dieter Prestin (67).
The former defender has been working as an insurance and financial expert in professional sports for 35 years.
Now Prestin wants to save 1. FC Köln.
How?
He reveals this in the big
tz
interview
Mr. Prestin, you experienced the glory days with 1. FC Köln. They became German champions once and cup winners three times and also played almost 500 games for FC. Today the club is fighting against relegation and also has a transfer ban. How are you doing with that?
The way the club is currently doing, I have almost lost faith in my 1. FC Köln.
I'm afraid that the club will slide into no man's land.
Timo Schultz, the new coach, was fired both at St. Pauli and, after a very short time, at FC Basel.
He has taken on a herculean task and I wish him good luck and success.
Nevertheless, in the relegation battle I would have preferred a coach who had already experienced and mastered this procedure.
The “professionalism” with which the club bosses dealt with the CAS regarding the imposed transfer ban cannot be surpassed in terms of arrogance.
There is an absolute lack of football expertise in the executive suite - both on the board and among the board's advisors.
The quality is simply lacking.
And that has led to the sporting situation being the way it is.
A harsh judgment from you.
Others who care about 1. FC Cologne also see this or something similar.
Christoph Daum also recently heavily criticized the FC bosses.
How are these people supposed to professionally assess whether the sports manager, sports director, coach and the transfers are the right ones?
You have to start there.
The sporting competence at 1. FC Köln needs to be significantly improved again.
I also realize that just complaining doesn't help.
That's why over the last year and a half I've written an almost 40-page concept about a possible future for FC.
Dieter Prestin
How is this supposed to succeed?
In the free economy the problem would be solved relatively quickly: here are the culprits - and get rid of them.
But there is nothing like that in Cologne.
And it's also clear to me that just complaining doesn't help.
That's why over the last year and a half I've written an almost 40-page concept about a possible future for FC.
I will discuss this with the FC board at a meeting in two weeks.
What is your concept about?
I want to put my finger in the wound.
I don't want to reveal too much in advance.
It's not just about making 1. FC Köln suitable for the Bundesliga again in the long term, but about a little more: taking the step towards Europe again.
And to do this, as already mentioned, you have to bring sports competence back into the board, the management, but also into the youth department.
For example, I have a problem when a young person from the Cologne Sports University opens his laptop and wants to explain where the boys should run.
The creativity and individuality of the young players are no longer in demand.
Scouting is a great opportunity for FC.
There's finally a lot that needs to be improved here among the young talent.
Not everything is going well at FC Bayern at the moment either.
But the club embodies the legendary “Mia san mia”, this self-image of getting out of every low point quickly.
The Munich team overcomes a crisis easier, faster and better than 1. FC Cologne, because there are managers at the helm who know what their job is and who put all their strength and personality – i.e. “heart and soul” – into FC Bayern.
Dieter Prestin has well-known supporters
Do you have supporters?
Yes.
I am in very close contact with some of the players from my playing days and also with some who were also successful for 1. FC Köln afterwards.
We have specific people in mind who would bring the much-needed sports expertise to the club.
Can you imagine taking an active role in helping to implement your concept?
That's the big question I asked myself too.
I played for 1. FC Köln for 23 years.
My heart will always beat for FC.
After my career ended due to injury in 1988, I was always very closely involved in the professional football business.
A lot has changed at FC since then.
The club has had a new slogan for several years.
It reads: “Noticeably different”.
Of course, Cologne is noticeably different, but unfortunately not positively different in many areas.
Our club anthem from the Höhnern: “Mer stonn zo Dir FC Kölle” still applies to me.
So, let's take a look...
My heart will always beat for FC.
Dieter Prestin
Are you afraid that the passionate fans of 1. FC Köln could soon burst their collar?
The fans in Cologne are something super special.
There are always around 50,000 people at the season opening training session.
Even if they were relegated, they would come to the stadium against Sandhausen with a team that might not even be suitable for the second division.
The only question is how much longer.
The fact is: The great fans of 1. FC Köln deserve that our traditional club is finally successful again.
But it looks like we will unfortunately have to wait many years for that to happen.
Interview: Philipp Kessler