football
Ex-world footballer Kessler is to become DFB managing director
Nadine Kessler is to succeed Oliver Bierhoff at the DFB. photo
© Sven Beyrich/dpa
The DFB is planning a big surprise when filling the directorships. According to a media report, Nadine Kessler is to become the new managing director and succeed Oliver Bierhoff.
According to a media report, the German Football Association is treading a revolutionary path when it comes to filling the post of managing director Nadine Kessler as the successor to Oliver Bierhoff.
The former national player is to take over parts of the tasks of the former DFB director and will be responsible for the academy and national teams in the future, as reported by the Munich “Abendzeitung”. The new technical director is to be the current U20 selection coach Hannes Wolf, as previously reported by the “Frankfurter Rundschau”.
According to the media report, Kessler’s move to the DFB could be officially announced in the coming weeks. The talks have progressed so far that the contracts are already being drawn up. The DFB and UEFA did not want to comment on the personnel when asked by dpa. The ex-European champion Kessler (35), who is currently working as a department head at the European Football Union UEFA, would be the first woman both for the women’s team of national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg and for the men’s senior national team of national coach Hansi Flick responsible.
The world footballer of 2014 was one of the best midfielders in the world during her active career. With VfL Wolfsburg she won the Champions League twice, the championship title twice and celebrated three DFB Cup victories. In 2016 she ended her career due to persistent knee problems and from then on she devoted herself to her career as an official.
Wolf is to be promoted
In addition to Kessler, Wolf should also have a responsible position in the DFB. According to media reports, the association plans to promote the current head coach of the U20 national team to technical director. In addition, the 42-year-old Wolf is said to be in charge of a competence team that also includes the former Bundesliga professionals Hanno Balitsch and Sandro Wagner.
Kessler and Wolf would inherit Bierhoff. The 2016 European champion had to leave the DFB after the preliminary round at the World Cup in Qatar at the end of 2022, the 55-year-old was responsible for an enormously large area as DFB director. At the beginning of the year, the DFB signed Rudi Völler as the new sporting director for the senior national team and the U21s. The former team boss will give up this role again after the EM 2024.
The 2014 world champion Sami Khedira had recently been discussed as a candidate for a DFB post, but negotiations with the 36-year-old failed.