TV off after twelve years
First ridiculed, then later cult: Oliver Kahn’s silent end on ZDF
For twelve years, Oliver Kahn worked as a football expert for ZDF, now that’s over
© firo Sportphoto / Jürgen Fromme / Picture Alliance
Oli and Oli no longer exist: Oliver Kahn ends his twelve-year television career as a football expert at ZDF. The second now has to look for a successor to the “TV Titan” – which should not be that easy.
The final highlight of his twelve-year TV career was denied to Oliver Kahn. At the European Football Championship in July, the ex-national player’s last appearance as a TV expert for ZDF was supposed to flicker across the screen, but the tournament was postponed to the coming year. And now it is clear that the remarkably long television career will not be extended: The board member of FC Bayern Munich and the broadcaster have not signed a new contract for the EM 2021.
The silent end had been looming for a long time, on Friday ZDF officially announced it. “It was an important and formative phase in my life,” said the 51-year-old in a statement from the public broadcaster. “I’ve seen great tournaments and fantastic football matches. I was able to learn, develop, and I got to know the world of media up close and from a new perspective.”
.@Oliver Kahn at the end of the cooperation with @ZDFsport: pic.twitter.com/C6bjUjygYz
– ZDFpresse (@ZDFpresse) August 7, 2020
And from a different point of view, the football fans also experienced the often wild goalkeeper in the past.
At first there was more ridicule for Oliver Kahn
Since January 1st, Kahn has been a member of the board of directors of FC Bayern Munich – and since then he has left other commitments such as advertising for a betting company or as the manager of his company Goalplay on hold or has already ended them. When Karl-Heinz Rummenigge’s contract expires, he will become the record champions’ CEO at the end of next year. By then at the latest, another ZDF collaboration would have been unthinkable.
In parting, there were words of praise for the former “goalkeeper titan” from ZDF. “With his expertise, Oliver Kahn provided viewers with great added value in our broadcasts of international tournaments and the Champions League,” said sports director Thomas Fuhrmann. “During the long period of cooperation he has analyzed the encounters with an independent eye.”
.@ZDFsport and @Oliver Kahn end their successful collaboration after twelve years. https://t.co/mWIK9D6nEz pic.twitter.com/HGoacXm1HF
– ZDFpresse (@ZDFpresse) August 7, 2020
In the beginning there was frequent ridicule for the “TV titan”. The former world-class player, who often appeared impetuous as a professional and had crudely demanded: “Eggs, we need eggs”, looked a bit wooden. At the side of Johannes B. Kerner, he initially seemed anxious not to make any mistakes. And often and gladly emphasized the experiences he had made as a player.
The search for a successor will not be easy for ZDF
Over the years, Kahn became more relaxed. He chatted at the side of Katrin Müller-Hohenstein and with moderator Oliver Welke became Oli and Oli and a cult brand. Now and then there was even a hint of self-irony to be heard. While ARD was not always completely happy with its TV experts like Philipp Lahm or Mehmet Scholl, Kahn was a constant at ZDF for more than a decade.
The first now has a prominent ex-player under contract with Bastian Schweinsteiger, who will make his international debut in autumn. The second, however, has to look for a Kahn successor. Not as easy as the ARD has noticed time and again, and so has the private broadcaster RTL, which is also looking for a new TV expert after Jürgen Klinsmann’s unfortunate short-term engagement.
