Although the ball isn’t rolling during the winter break, the soccer world doesn’t stand still during the Christmas season. We look back on some curious stories.
The Christmas season, including the winter break, is a contemplative time for many, but in the past, there was also a lot going on at many clubs during these days.
We look back at some curious stories, including those from FC Schalke 04, MSV Duisburg, and Wuppertaler SV.
Harsh punishment for missed flight
Michael Delura is currently the coach of Rot-Weiss Essen’s U19 team. During his playing career, he played for FC Schalke 04 and VfL Bochum, among others, and is known not only for his footballing acumen but also for his friendly nature. However, his good manners proved to be the undoing of the then 18-year-old Schalke talent in the winter of 2003. While the other S04 players were already boarding the plane to the Christmas party, Delura waited patiently in line at the check-in counter and did not make it on board in time. As punishment, coach Jupp Heynckes sentenced him to a week of cleaning shoes in the locker room. “He would have hired me on the spot.” Heynckes apparently thought so too and brought Delura to Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2007. GDR talent punches MSV managing director and gets kicked out In the summer of 1990, shortly before reunification, MSV Duisburg signed Marco Köller from FC Berlin. The then 21-year-old defender was considered one of the greatest talents in the declining GDR and was expected to help the Zebras advance to the Bundesliga. Köller fought his way through and MSV Duisburg spent the winter at the top of the table. But Köller also fought at the Christmas party: while intoxicated, he punched the then MSV managing director Dirk Keiper in the face, who then fell to the ground. After the unpleasant incident, the club immediately terminated Köller’s contract, whereupon the once promising jewel disappeared into obscurity. Nevertheless, Duisburg finished second in the table behind Schalke 04 and were promoted to the Bundesliga. WSV coach leaves too early and is not allowed to return Unlike Köller, Werner Kasper was not fired for drinking too much, but for drinking too little. During the Christmas party in December 2004, the then coach of Wuppertaler SV went home at 10:15 p.m., which infuriated long-time club boss Friedhelm Runge.
According to Runge, the premature departure was “not exactly a sign of boundless identification with the club.” Kasper was subsequently dismissed after only about five months as coach of the regional league team.
“No desire” – Christoph Daum cancels Effzeh celebration
In the winter of 2006, 1. FC Köln’s Christmas party was canceled due to modest performances in the Bundesliga. After the 2-3 defeat against Arminia Bielefeld on the last match day before the winter break, coach Christoph Daum was not in the mood to party.
“I don’t feel like sitting there and celebrating. It’s canceled,” Daum declared, putting a stop to the festivities.
However, it was all to no avail, as Cologne ultimately finished seventeenth in the table and were relegated to the 2nd Bundesliga along with 1. FC Kaiserslautern and MSV Duisburg.
Stefan Effenberg’s “cowboy boot affair”
At FC Bayern Munich’s Christmas party in 2000, Stefan Effenberg wore cowboy boots and red leather pants. Coach Ottmar Hitzfeld was anything but pleased with his player’s evening attire.
“That was not the ideal appearance for a captain,” Hitzfeld told the Munich media at the time, announcing further measures: “We’ll have to make more rules and be stricter.”
Effenberg reacted defiantly to his coach’s criticism: “I dress the way I think is right,” he told the media. “If you don’t like it, I don’t give a damn. You can write that down.”