Friday December 24th 2021
“Must give punishments that hurt”
Kahn is at war with investors
Oliver Kahn calls for a hard limit on footballer’s salaries and is taking investors to court. Bayern Munich’s CEO wants to see severe penalties if too many millions are pumped into football clubs. He also comments on a transfer from BVB star striker Erling Haaland.
Bayern Munich’s CEO Oliver Kahn has spoken out in favor of containing salaries with the help of upper limits and lower transfer fees. In an interview with the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”, the former national soccer goalkeeper said that the German record champions wanted a hard limit on the maximum amount that a club could spend on salaries. In addition, there could be a relative size. Kahn named 60 or 70 percent of the income that could be invested in salaries. The 52-year-old explained that the fixed upper limit that applies to everyone should not be exceeded.
In addition, there should be clear limits for investors as to how much they can put into a football club and how much loss they can make up for. “But both points would be pointless without point three: There have to be penalties that hurt and are really carried out, even at the big clubs. Ultimately, we want nothing more than cost control in football,” said Kahn and added with a view to a future regulation des Financial Fair Play: “I believe that football has reached a crucial fork in the road.”
Among other things, the French top club Paris Saint-Germain, but also a number of top English clubs have been supported by multimillion-dollar investors from abroad for years. Most recently, the Premier League club Newcastle United was sold to a consortium with Saudi participation. “A few years ago the English were 10 or 20 million euros ahead of us. Now it’s a multiple,” said Kahn, who is also the deputy chairman of the European club association ECA.
No Haaland, praise for Sané
After Bayern Munich’s club president Herbert Hainer, Kahn has also shown no interest in signing Dortmund’s top striker Erling Haaland. “We have Robert Lewandowski,” said the CEO. “He’s going to score 30 or 40 goals for a few more years.” The 33-year-old Polish goalscorer still has a contract with the German record champions until June 30, 2023. Kahn said: “I think he is a top performer, but it has to be sensible for both sides. ” The 26-year-old defender’s contract ends after this season.
Basically, the 52-year-old ex-national goalkeeper was more cautious about possible transfer activities. One is in an observation phase and must first develop a feeling of where the current situation in the corona pandemic is developing. “But one thing is clear: we are not gamblers,” emphasized Kahn. “Economically we are in a position to do a lot. But at the moment we are again hurt by the lack of audience income due to the pandemic.”
Leroy Sané received great praise from the CEO, who was a different player after a difficult start: “Confident, dangerous, demands the ball, looks for and wins important duels, runs back with almost every attack,” said Kahn about the 25-year-old. “Why? Because he decided to do it himself – but also because the group encourages you to do it. That is carried on here, from generation to generation.”
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