STORY: A little déjà vu, that’s what Rudi Völler calls his comeback at the DFB. From 2000 to 2004 he was team boss of the German national football team. From February he will take over the senior team and the men’s U21s as sports director, with a lot of humility, as Völler himself says. “Suddenly everyone looked at me, the Aki (DFB Vice-President Hans-Joachim Watzke, editor’s note) at first I think I could, should do it and then I, well, was not really convinced. First I asked: Isn’t there anyone else who does it? After a few conversations, he then let himself be convinced: “That it might be for this time until the European Championships, precisely because we have a home EM , I think a good solution is that I can certainly give a few things to the coaching team with my experience, my input, also in relation to Hansi Flick, so that at the end of the day we play a successful European Championship.” Völler takes over Post by Oliver Bierhoff, who resigned after the preliminary round at the World Cup in Qatar. Bierhoff’s area of responsibility was more extensive, says DFB President Bernd Neuendorf. “But that was exactly our will and our intention with a view to the Euro, there ss we have an absolute focus here and a concentration on this tournament. And I think it’s absolutely good that we can win over Rudi Völler. This is an important step that we are taking with this personality.” Völler, whom fans have adored under the nickname “Tante Käthe” for decades, emphasizes that the basis of everything is the national players. “That we simply sell ourselves well in sport. But now in advance that we are a little closer, closer to the people, whatever that will look like. You will see then. You can’t turn back time to what it was 30, 40 years ago. But I do believe that it can be done. To get a few things across a bit more positively.” The bad role of Qatar has to be put behind, so Völler. Now it’s about winning the fans back – and above all through performance.