Commentary: 1. FC Köln – Remarkable openness – what the basement interview says
The Corona consequences are more noticeable at 1. FC Köln than anywhere else. Now plain language is spoken, that’s a good thing. A comment.
Since April 1st is Christian Keller the new Managing Director Sport at 1. FC Cologne. He now has an overview of the club, but there are some things he would certainly prefer not to know. This week he is available to the Cologne media, he speaks plain language.
“I knew the status of autumn 2021. But the status from spring of this year is significantly worse, especially financially. FC is dynamic and structurally a major renovation task. Those responsible had to be very creative during the pandemic. What was done, was necessary – but of course it has an effect on the future.”
Sure, the corona pandemic has demanded a lot from the club, but that’s the same for all other clubs, there are no exceptions. There are financial cuts or losses everywhere, at FC they are said to be around 80 million euros.
I can see the status of autumn 2021. But the status from spring of this year is significantly worse, especially financially. The FC is a major renovation task
Christian Keller
But Keller’s words, which were not previously known in Cologne, also show that the clubs will have to rethink in the future. They have to build up reserves, they just have to be better at managing other people’s money.
1. FC Köln, Schalke 04, Werder Bremen, there are several other examples of clubs that got into trouble in the corona pandemic, that had to use future funds to avoid existential difficulties. The example of Cologne shows what happens if you don’t do business in moderation.
There were so many players who, especially in the era of Armin Veh and Alexander Wehrle, were given contracts that were too dated. It felt like you had to be able to hold the ball up three times, and a million-dollar contract beckoned. Anthony Modeste, Jonas Hector and Timo Horn are said to earn a total of over nine million euros a year.
Hector, Modeste and Timo Horn are said to earn over nine million euros a year
Hector and Modeste are undoubtedly leaders, they give the team a face, many other players cause working papers, often for four years, which simply did not correspond to their quality. There was a big gap between the rewards for the squad and the sporting opportunities, even though FC sensationally reached the Conference League this year.
In recent years – Cologne has always wavered between the 2nd Bundesliga and Bundesliga rescue – personnel costs have skyrocketed, but the team’s performance has stagnated or dropped. Then came Corona, the loss of sales and Cologne still had to pay for a squad that was far too expensive, a problem that many clubs didn’t have. In 2023, FC will only have the opportunity to free itself from a large part of the legacy, then numerous contracts will expire.
It seems that there has been a rethink under the new leadership. In addition, plain language is spoken, which can sometimes hurt. But it cannot work otherwise. Cologne seems to have understood that, FC Schalke too, one can only wish all clubs that they present themselves seriously for the future.
Because at the beginning of 2020, no one thought that a pandemic could come that would put the clubs in great distress.