Christian Seifert’s announcement to discuss a salary cap in the Bundesliga has been well received. But the debate has a bland aftertaste.
From Stefan Backs
“All theory is grey in life – but the decisive factor is on the pitch”, Dortmund’s football idol Adi Preißler once said.
Christian Seifert, managing director of the German Football League, has now announced a “task force for the future of professional football”. Among other things, it will deal with a salary cap for players and a cap on consultant fees.
Seifert is certain of the applause in the Corona crisis. Clubs and media welcome the announcements of the DFL’s creator in unison.
Debate provides bland aftertaste
But even on a closer look the whole moral debate gets an extremely bland aftertaste. Already on 2 December 2016 the first media published their results from the so-called Football Leaks.
Since then, two comprehensive books have been published, which mercilessly expose the partly criminal entanglements of economy, organized crime, clubs, officials and consultants. Also in Germany. And although many machinations are completely documented, nothing has happened in Germany to date: Nothing.
Association functionaries sit down uninhibitedly at a table with advisors whom they know or at least suspect to be partly behind criminal structures. The media often enough play down and admire these types of advisors and describe them as “cunning”, “dazzling” or “powerful”. The hunt for the desired players and thus for reputation and return on investment causes all inhibitions to drop even in the supposedly largest and most serious clubs.
Seifert’s announcements sound like scorn
The fact that – as club representatives are now complaining – these player advisors are becoming more and more powerful is mainly their own fault. Nobody is forcing them to support dubious practices or to pay extortionate prices. Nobody is forcing them to sit down at the table with certain advisers.
In recent years, it has become increasingly difficult for reputable agencies to attract clients. The financial power of the competitors mentioned above is also too great. From the side of the association one was almost smiled at for this. So Seifert’s announcements sound like mockery to me.