Bayern icon Karl-Heinz Rummenigge turns 70. After a successful career as a professional footballer and vice-president at FC Bayern, Rummenigge is now a functionary. In an exclusive interview with SPORT1, he talks about his work as an official and what advice he would give to the 2014 world champions.
In 2002, FC Bayern's professional football was spun off into a public limited company and you became chairman of the board. This made you the most important and powerful man at Säbener Straße in day-to-day business. Was it a dream come true for you back then?
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge: I had ten years behind me as vice-president and was able to prepare myself in the slipstream of Franz and Uli, which helped me a lot and for which I am very grateful. We had to outsource professional football to the AG in order to seriously finance the construction of the Allianz Arena. Franz offered me the position of CEO at the time, and Uli and Karl supported the decision. That was a great honour for me, of course.
How can FC Bayern show more presence and gain influence in this arena again?
Rummenigge: Our CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen is an outstanding representative of FC Bayern and is now ECA Vice President. He specifically represents the interests of FC Bayern and the entire Bundesliga. He has the office and the qualifications to do so.
At the beginning of the year, you said that you had the impression that today's generation of footballers had probably already earned too much money and were therefore not aiming for a job as an official. How can you convince the 2014 world champions, for example, that such a step is worthwhile?
Rummenigge: They have to have the inner drive themselves and enjoy it. I have the impression that many of them would basically like to do something - but not necessarily in an environment that demands commitment seven days a week. This generation may have different ideas about how to plan their lives due to their success and the associated income. That's completely legitimate and not a criticism - you just have to respect it.
Does that also apply to Thomas Müller?
Rummenigge: Thomas' decision to go far away to Canada to gain new experience and broaden his horizons is absolutely right. I could imagine that if he comes back and still has this desire to take up a leadership position, that would be a great gain for FC Bayern. Maybe with Thomas Müller, what seems difficult at the moment is possible.