Among children, the ultimate punishment is not to invite someone to their birthday party. Anyone who falls out of favor through serious offenses such as betraying a secret (snitch) or being unfaithful (making new friends) is demonstratively excluded from hitting the pot, stop dancing and excess cakes. This is no trifle. That can become traumatic.
The primary school days of the Fürth football coach Alexander Zorniger was half a century ago, and it would probably be worth countering to claim that the Swabian suffered ultimate sanctions in his childhood. During the second division guest appearance in Berlin, Zorniger gave referee Tobias Stieler a thumbs-up twice, which he interpreted as a provocation and for which he was banned from the sidelines with a yellow-red card. After the game, Zorniger said of Stieler with a cold smile: “I’ll be 56 soon – and he won’t be invited.”
Such an affront could alarm the DFB control committee, because the people there were all children. Insults, accusations of drunkenness or accusations of bribery against referees are one thing – but not inviting an honorable referee to his birthday crosses a line. You can already hear the referees lamenting again: We’re not the nation’s rubbish bins!
The whole of football Germany is therefore now looking forward to Leipzig. There, RB coach Marco Rose scolded referee Frank Willenborg on Friday. A dramatic decision for the future relationship between coaches and referees is approaching: Rose will be 47 on September 11th. Who can come?