The German Football League (DFL) is facing a radical change at the top. On January 1, 2022, Donata Hopfen (45) will succeed DFL boss Christian Seifert (52). New elections at the DFL will follow in August, and here too there are many indications that the baton will be handed over – from supervisory board chairman Peter Peters (59) to BVB boss Hans-Joachim Watzke (62)!
Club representatives see the new face of the Bundesliga in Watzke. His advantage: Watzke does not come from the financial sector or a law firm like other candidates. It stands for football competence. His chances of being elected to the DFL Presidium and Chairman of the Supervisory Board seem good. According to SPORT BILD-Info, Watzke is also ready for a DFL career!
Prerequisite: It must be the wish of the majority of the 36 professional clubs. And: He doesn’t have to vote in a fight.
One thing is clear: the new bosses at the DFL and also at the DFB, where a new president will be elected in March 2022, must set the course for the future, also with regard to structures and interlinking, including liability issues. The next league meeting is due in December, at which the first decisions could be made – if they are then prepared.
The league is currently grumbling because the departing Seifert is no longer concerned with major construction sites. And also little comes from the DFL presidium around Peters, who – reportedly from the league – is busy with his possible candidacy as DFB president.
Apparently a wake-up call is needed to end the standstill in the DFL. Frankfurt boss Axel Hellmann (50) states critically: “We are losing a lot of heavyweights who are or were the mouthpieces of the league: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has just quit, next year we will lose Rudi Völler, who is also a figurehead. Personalities from internationally successful clubs who also occupy topics and bring them to the DFL and Uefa. “
This is where Watzke comes into play, who is already on the board of Europe’s Club Association (ECA). And maintains good contacts in business, society and politics. Watzke had already run for the DFL Presidium in 2019, but withdrew at short notice.
For a new attempt, the following applies: Since the other clubs will most likely not elect representatives from Dortmund AND Bavaria (previously CFO Jan-Christian Dreesen) to the presidium, Watzke would need a new comrade from a larger club by his side. That could be Hellmann.
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