Resignation as sports director
“I don’t want to have anything to do with you”: Eberl’s remarkable dig at the media
Max Eberl: “Like Hape Kerkeling, I’ll just be gone”
Gladbach’s sports director Max Eberl justified his withdrawal into private life in a tearful press conference. He addresses a remarkable sentence to the media, which was understandable in its brusque way. This will not change anything.
What an extraordinary press conference. One of the most successful and popular managers in German football is sitting on the podium fighting back tears. Rolf Königs, President of Borussia Mönchengladbach, and Rainer Bonhof, Vice-President, who are sitting next to them, seem concerned and a little overwhelmed by the situation. “It’s not a nice day, it’s a stupid day,” König begins his statement when it’s his turn. Managing director Stephan Schipper delivers his speech quite soberly on the stage.
But before and after that, Erberl talks. He just can’t take it anymore, he admits. He was completely burned out: “I just want to get out” is one of those succinct sentences with which the 48-year-old opens his soul and explains why he says goodbye to his heart club and football: “Like Hape Kerkeling, I’ll just be gone .” Eberl was one of the most influential and intelligent figures in German football in recent years. He proves it again, this time in a different way, in this remarkable moment.
Read my colleague Phil Göbel’s comment here.
Other reasons are probably more important
Eberl also says a sentence that is somewhat lost on this early Friday afternoon and which the journalists present, in an almost remarkable way, do not respond to. He addressed the words directly to his colleagues: “I don’t want to have anything to do with you.”
Eberl makes it clear that for him, a complete recovery includes not having any contact with the media in general and journalists in particular. This is understandable and not meant to be sarcastic or ironic.
Of course, “the media” is just one of many reasons why the sporting director burned out. The pressure to succeed, the fast pace of business, juggling millions of euros, competitive struggles and the burden of responsibility probably weigh much more heavily. But the media is part of the circus.
Media can generate immense pressure
Everyone knows that wild speculation, sometimes very thoughtless analysis, or even just plain misinformation is part of the business. There are also blame, accusations and exaggerated criticism. Or just plain nonsense. What is happening on social media (Eberl also spoke about it) should not go unmentioned here. The pressure that media creates in any way can be immense. Don’t get me wrong: there are just as clever analyses, justified criticism and outstanding research on important topics. Logical. Both are part of it.
However, dealing with the media is certainly one of the greatest challenges for the actors. It is not for nothing that special training courses for professionals have become standard over the past decade. It takes a thick skin to navigate this world, especially with the negative headlines. On the other hand, the fact that professionals and officials often have a difficult to problematic relationship with the press, like to be celebrated or simply use it, is also part of it (remember the legendary press conference held by Messrs. Hoeneß, Rummenigge and Salihamidzic in October 2018).
Right at the beginning of the press conference, Eberl emphasized that the speculation about his withdrawal was mostly nonsense. It was speculated that he wanted to switch to competitor RB Leipzig. There was practically no report that could not do without this thought game. As we know, there is nothing to it. It was sheer nonsense.
It doesn’t matter to Eberl now. He withdraws from the high-pressure circus because he has realized that he must “take care of his health”. The football world will continue to turn without him, nothing will change. And who knows: maybe the passionate soccer player Max Eberl will return to the business at some point.