Former player Prestin reflects on FC Cologne's ongoing turmoil. - "Unexpected changes in staffing"
Dieter Prestin, a former pro soccer player and critic of the board, has constructed a 40-page vision and assembled a team of prominent sponsors. On June 10th, he will publicly unveil his Cologne plan.
Prestin's 40-page strategy: "We'll have a few personnel changes in store. We'll be transparent about our intentions. We'll evaluate our progress against our goals. This project deals with sports, the city, the Geißbockheim [traditional stadium district], finances, and youth. It's all about transparency because 1. FC Cologne hasn't always been honest with its fans and members. If my plan becomes too much for me after a few years, I'll retire voluntarily."
His reason for engaging with the FC: "I'm leaving Bavaria where I've lived for 16 years. I can't stand it anymore. So, there need to be people who push things forward. And if you look at the reports from January and February, how have I been treated for my criticism? Then Effenberg and Litti [Pierre Littbarski, the former Reds player] are talking. Isn't this more beautiful than what I did three or four months ago? The only difference is that we have a team and a plan."
His relationship with President Wolf, who also attended the "FC-Abend" alongside sports director Christian Keller (47): "I didn't know Mr. Wolf and Mr. Keller were there. That wouldn't have changed my approach. We had a pleasant evening, reminiscing about the past. I wouldn't have confronted them publicly. I never aspired to become part of the management team when I gave my first interview to TZ in February."
The aim was to prompt Wolf to take action and improve the situation. Prestin elaborated: "I wanted to apply pressure on him. If he had handled it better, we might have found a solution. The situation could have evolved differently."
Additionally, he pondered: "If I clean up the club and the sports quality takes a hit, I can't help but question if there's anger and we dive into a crisis. I haven't received any communication since then."
