Hertha and Union executives also call for new vote on investor deal: "The fans have been ignored."
In interviews published late this week in major German papers "die Welt" and the "Berliner Morgenpost", top executives at Germany's two largest capital city football clubs joining VfB Stuttgart President Claus Vogt in calling for a re-vote on the recently-sanctioned DFL investor deal.
Sustained protests from the German "Fankurve" continue to cause prolonged delays in both first and second division German football matches. A Wednesday Bundesliga fixture in Mainz and a Friday 2. Bundesliga tie in Hamburg were both interrupted for 15 minutes due to fans throwing tennis balls onto the pitch.
Sustained protests from the German "Fankurve" continue to cause prolonged delays in both first and second division German football matches. A Wednesday Bundesliga fixture in Mainz and a Friday 2. Bundesliga tie in Hamburg were both interrupted for 15 minutes due to fans throwing tennis balls onto the pitch.
VfB Stuttgart President Claus Vogt became the first major German footballing executive to call for a re-vote on Thursday. The VfB boss insisted that the league body responsible for administering Germany's two top footballing flights conduct the vote yet again; this time clearly revealing to fans which of the 36 clubs enabled the initiative to be approved by a two-thirds majority. December's vote took place via secret ballot. Vogt - citing the stated desire of the fans for transparency - took the stance that the voices of Bundesliga fans should be heard.
VfL Osnabrück managing director Michael Welling has taken a similar stance. Vogt and Welling gained two more public allies late this week when FC Union Berlin President Dirk Zingler and Hertha BSC managing director Thomas Herrich also expressed support for a new vote in interviews published in separate German papers-of-record. Zingler spoke to German national daily "die Welt" whilst Herrich conducted an interview in the "Berliner Morgenpost". Herrich noted that "the voting procedure must be dealt with in a transparent manner".
"The fan scenes in the ultra blocks will only snowball," Zingler is quoted as saying, "They make visible what many members, what many organized fan clubs in the clubs think. Protests have been taking place since the investor issue was made public. They've escalated now because the fans have been ignored. No one should be surprised. We have to get this right by leaving no doubt about the legitimacy of the vote."