Uli Hoeneß on Joachim Löw and the power struggle in the DFB

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Uli Hoeneß has a new job.

The honorary president of FC Bayern will appear as an RTL expert at the national soccer team's three World Cup qualifiers against Iceland, Romania and North Macedonia.

"That excites me tremendously," says Hoeneß in an interview with the German press agency.

He wants to say what's going on, even after the final whistle in conversation with national coach Joachim Löw.

Question:

At 69 you are doing something new again and as an RTL expert you will verbally accompany the upcoming international matches.

What is your motivation?

Did you get a little bored at the beautiful Tegernsee after largely withdrawing from FC Bayern?

Hoeneß:

I cannot say that.

But there are a few reasons why I do this.

First of all, RTL advertised me tremendously.

At first I thought no.

After thinking about it for a long time I thought why not.

Challenges appeal to me.

I've never done anything like this before, and I smiled at those who did it.

Now I see that as a challenge.

That's why I only signed up for three games at first, even if the gentlemen from RTL wanted to arrange a few more games.

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Question:

And why else?

Hoeneß:

There is also a good fee.

And since I donate my extraordinary income and lectures and the like have been omitted due to the pandemic, the foundations that I otherwise serve with this money have been neglected.

So now I have a wonderful opportunity to donate the fee for the three games to three foundations.

So I can combine the good with the useful.

Question:

You stood and stand for clear text: What kind of expert can the audience expect?

Is Joachim Löw's attack department blooming?

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Hoeneß:

No.

First of all, I'm not a commentator during the game, but watch it in the studio with moderator Florian König.

We'll talk about the situation in German football before kick-off, at half-time and after the game.

We will then also have a conversation with Jogi Löw.

And there I will say what I saw.

I will certainly also deal with what I consider to be a difficult situation at the DFB.

I see what's going on at the moment as a big problem.

Uli Hoeneß (r.) Meets DFB President Fritz Keller every now and then in the stadium.

The honorary president of FC Bayern is currently very critical of the association

Source: pa / Marvin Ibo G / Marvin Ibo Güngör

Question:

What else do you want to talk about?

Hoeneß:

We also have to talk about youth football after the pandemic.

A lot of dams are breaking at the moment.

Young people leave the clubs because they no longer have the opportunity to play football.

How is it going on?

What does the DFB do?

What can we do as professional clubs?

So there are many topics to be discussed around the international match.

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Question:

Would you rather talk about the big picture than about false nines, counter-pressing or tactical systems?

Hoeneß:

Commentator Marco Hagemann and former national player Steffen Freund should do that as a co-comment during the game.

They can deal with the 'false eight' and the 'crooked nine'.

I will rather evaluate the players' commitment and whether there is an upward trend to be seen after the 6-0 draw in Spain.

I would like to accompany this in a positive way, because I am very interested in German football making progress.

Because the Bundesliga lives from the national team - at least it was like that for a long time.

We need to talk about what can be done to improve the attractiveness of the national team and to give it back the place in society that it deserves.

Question:

What did your wife say about your new job?

Hoeneß:

(laughs)

She shook her head a little and said whether I was bored, as you asked at the beginning.

But she knows me!

Sometimes I have crazy and spontaneous ideas.

That excites me immensely now.

But anyone who thinks that I am talking about everything in ruins is mistaken.

I want to support the international matches constructively and critically, but - if possible - also positively.

Question:

The interaction between moderator and expert is important.

There was - even during Löw's tenure - the legendary and excellent duo Günter Netzer and Gerhard Delling on ARD.

Your partner in the RTL studio will be Florian König.

Have you rehearsed your roles?

Hoeneß:

No.

We did a major interview beforehand, which was broadcast on the RTL stations.

I appreciate Mr. König very much.

I am glad that he is my partner.

I admit that I always had a lot of fun with the Netzer / Delling duo.

We don't want to copy them.

I am happy when people say afterwards that we did it great.

I used to like Florian König very much in Formula 1 with Niki Lauda as an expert.

And that's why I am convinced that we will form a good team.

Question:

Have you ever exchanged ideas with Oliver Kahn, who analyzed international matches on ZDF before returning to FC Bayern?

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Hoeneß:

Yes, I spoke to Oliver.

I know that Oliver did that very, very intensely.

He also talked a lot about tactical things.

I don't want to go into that in depth.

Question:

After the 6-0 draw against Spain, there were heated debates about Joachim Löw.

Now he has announced his retirement as national coach after the EM in the summer.

He even informed you about it beforehand.

How does the TV expert Hoeneß assess this decision?

Hoeneß:

I welcomed you very much because it gave Jogi the reins of the business again.

He would have become a plaything.

After every international match you would have asked the coach question.

In this way he created facts and clear relationships.

This is a good solution for him and for his nerves after what he has achieved.

I also think it's good that he announced that early on.

Now the DFB can calmly take care of the successor.

I am convinced that a lot can be changed at the DFB anyway - not just the national coach.

Question:

What do you expect from the national team in the upcoming games?

And what's in it for Germany at the European Championship?

Hoeneß:

I am convinced that the team will play a lot better than last time.

I remind you of the overexertion of the FC Bayern players last autumn.

Sometimes they weren't there or were injured.

Now you have to see who Jogi Löw has against Iceland.

If the team is relatively complete, you can always count on them.

I know my Munich-based Pappenheimers, who are also very ambitious in their national jerseys.

And when they all really get involved again, that will be fine.

Question:

Is Löw's team currently a candidate for the title at the EM?

Hoeneß:

No.

You can't lose 6-0 in Spain and then say I'm going to the European Championship as the favorite.

But Germany as an outsider might be in a good starting position.

Question:

Corona still has a firm grip on Europe.

Do you consider a European Championship in twelve countries, with spectators at that, as recently demanded by the Uefa President, to be a trendy solution?

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Hoeneß:

At the

moment

I can hardly imagine that this can be achieved in twelve countries.

We have to wait and see how the incidence values ​​develop.

The audience question can only develop positively if the values ​​up to the tournament are such that there is no danger for the audience.

The whole business has to take a back seat.

The health of the people, the spectators and all those involved in the European Championship is my top priority.

Question

: There are seven Bayern professionals in Löw's squad.

There is heated debate about someone who is not there: Thomas Müller.

Do you think that Löw will bring him back for the EM?

Will you advise him in the RTL studio?

Hoeneß:

Jogi Löw knows my opinion.

And I'm pretty sure that the German national team will play with Thomas Müller at the European Championships.

Question:

How did you explain that to the national coach?

Hoeneß:

You can't do without a player who is a defining figure in the Bundesliga and the Champions League at Bayern.

It's not about a youth team that you have to build, but about a team that should win something.

Especially now, when it is Jogi Löw's last tournament, the best have to play.

And Thomas is undoubtedly one of the best in Germany.

That's why he has to play at the European Championship.

Opponents in the Bundesliga, maybe soon again in the national team: Bayern's Thomas Müller (left) and Dortmund's Mats Hummels

Source: dpa / Sven Hoppe

Question:

Does that also apply to Mats Hummels and Jérôme Boateng, whom Löw and Müller sorted out two years ago?

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Hoeneß:

I don't want to pursue a personnel policy here now.

You asked me about Müller, I have a clear opinion - but that's the easiest thing to do.

Everything else will be done by Jogi Löw.

Question:

Do the Bayern players have a bonus from the expert Hoeneß?

Hoeneß:

Nobody has to expect that I am particularly critical.

If they play well - and I assume they do - I'll mention that.

And if they play badly, I'll try to be smart.

Question:

You have already mentioned the search for a successor for Löw.

Many names were and are mentioned, Jürgen Klopp, Ralf Rangnick, Lothar Matthäus, and of course Bayern coach Hansi Flick.

Who will it be?

Or who should it be?

Hoeneß:

I can't say that.

Oliver Bierhoff and the DFB should decide that calmly.

I think it's good that you want to take your time.

There is certainly one option or another - and in the end the shot has to be right.

Question:

What would you think of a spectacular coach swap: Flick to the DFB and Löw to FC Bayern?

Hoeneß:

Well, now we don't want to break each other's heads.

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has pretty much committed himself when it comes to Hansi Flick.

And there is nothing to add to that at the moment.

Question:

Is another season on RTL conceivable for you after the three international matches?

There are more often in TV series.

Hoeneß:

(laughs)

Yes, that is correct.

There is a request for two more games in June, but as I said: First of all, I want to see whether I can do it, whether I'm doing well, whether the audience accepts me.

I'm pretty critical of myself.

I am relaxed there.

I want to make people fun.

And then we will decide together how to proceed.

Question:

Finally, a question about the Bundesliga title fight.

After the international break, there will be a showdown between RB Leipzig and their Bavarians.

Are the people of Leipzig already at eye level?

Hoeneß:

The Leipzig team are playing an outstanding season.

They have also become much more consistent.

Good work is being done.

At the moment you have clearly replaced Borussia Dortmund as the big Bayern pursuer.

It's going to be a great football game.

For us it is wonderful that we can go to Leipzig with a four point lead.

So Leipzig has to come.

Because if they don't win, they certainly won't become champions.

This game is therefore very appealing.