Sportfreunde Baumberg want promotion to the U17 Bundesliga. But there are problems with the license – and a misunderstanding with the squad leader.
What a mess about qualifying for the U17 Bundesliga. Die Sportfreunde Baumberg have in the B youth of B-Juniors Lower Rhine League Group 1 sensational second place. Since the first-placed U16s from Borussia Mönchengladbach had decided against promotion, the way was clear for possible promotion games against the winner of the parallel season, MSV Duisburg – or not?
First things first: In February of this year Lothar Arndt informed those responsible at SF Baumberg around youth leader Kosi Saka that the application for a license for the U17 Bundesliga must be submitted to the DFB by April 1st. Both sides have confirmed this to RevierSport. As a result, however, the perspectives diverge.
Baumberg had canceled DFB
Because according to Saka, the letter lacked information about the conditions that the clubs have to meet: “I know from other youth leaders that the documents are usually sent to me with the email. So that I, as a youth leader, can see what was to come.” He then obtained the necessary information bit by bit from other youth leaders.
In the first talks with those responsible, it then became clear relatively quickly that the U17 Bundesliga was not manageable for the club: “My top priority is that the club stays healthy in the long term. I can’t take responsibility for what all this entails.” Therefore, no application was made and, on top of that, canceled by e-mail on April 14th.
At that time, however, a possible rise for the sports fans was also a long way off. The Baumbergers only had the chance to jump into second place on the last day of the game because of the mistakes made by 1. FC Mönchengladbach. And that’s how it happened. In the meantime, there have also been new insights: “In retrospect, I found out that the DFB even supports you, so they don’t let the clubs down. But I didn’t have the information,” Saka complains about squad leader Arndt.
Misunderstanding causes great trouble
He rejects the allegations and does not see himself as being responsible: “The club must find out which requirements have to be met. Now to say afterwards that I didn’t send them the conditions and that I was the brake on the rise, I find it outrageous.”
Behind Arndt are strenuous days that have affected him noticeably: “In the twelve years that I have been working on a voluntary basis, I have never experienced such a case from an association.” On Saturday he was called to ask whether there was still a way to apply for the license later. At this point there seems to have been a misunderstanding between the parties.
According to his own statement, Arndt answered the question in the negative, but promised to try again. The Baumbergers then had hopes of promotion, but for Arndt it was clear that the DFB would not agree: “I really tried with angelic tongues to persuade the colleagues at the DFB if they could submit it later. No chance.” Despite all efforts, the DFB did not respond.
Now to say: ‘The stupid squad leader, he didn’t give us any information’, I feel a little cheated. They want to pee on my leg now that I’ve spoiled everything and that’s not the case!
Staffelleiter Lothar Arndt
The reason: the cancellation of April 14th. “If they canceled of their own accord and now afterwards they say ‘No, we don’t want to move up’ on Saturday, they win on Sunday and say ‘Now we want to move up’ – once huh once hott,” Arndt sees the mistake clearly on the part of the Baumberger. There would be no turning back at the DFB.
The people in charge at Baumberger would have tried to get the license for other reasons: “We wanted to at least play the promotion games for the boys because they deserved it sportingly. We don’t know if we’ll be allowed to move up, but we wanted to try to make the possible possible.” At the DFB, however, this was apparently understood in such a way that it would also be possible for Baumberger to rise. This is not an option due to the missed deadline and the written rejection.
1. FC Mönchengladbach suddenly supposedly in the promotion game
Arndt then made a mistake, which he also admits to himself, but which further heated up the debate: “I thought to myself, if they’re not allowed, then I’ll take the next possible club that has submitted these documents and will be admitted. He could then complete the game.” Without further ado, he started the game with fourth-placed 1. FC Mönchengladbach taking part, which surprised everyone involved. Arndt’s reasoning: “From a sporting point of view, I see a game with Baumberg as a game for the golden pineapple.” However, nowhere in the DFB statutes is it written that the team that has not submitted the application is not allowed to play the qualifiers, as Saka points out and Arndt has to agree.
“Whether we should be promoted to the Bundesliga is a completely different story. But the fact that we can at least play the two games cannot be taken away from us.” And you won’t either: When asked, Arndt announced that the sports fans would be allowed to play the promotion games against MSV Duisburg.
Arndt with thoughts of resignation
Saka, meanwhile, has still not completely written off the rise: “There should be a way to find a loophole and it’s my job as a youth leader to find it.” On the other hand, Arndt is shocked and irritated by the actions of the sports fans, who would have attacked him, among other things, about a former association youth leader: “Now present myself as the bogeyman who is responsible for Baumberg not being able to get promoted? This is a joke!”
The exhausted squad leader told RevierSport that he was considering retiring after twelve years. “Then I’ll throw the chunks down next week.” Mistakes were made on both sides and in the end nobody can be really happy.
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