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BVB manager Michael Meier today: “I defend myself against the proximity to bankruptcy”
The undisputed contributions that Niebaum and Meier had made to the club pushed this almost fatal chapter for BVB into the background. The now 74-year-old Meier, who left Dortmund at the end of June 2005 after almost 16 years, now assesses it as follows: “When we were able to avert bankruptcy, I was still in office. Nevertheless, the restructuring is attributed to the people who followed me . Everyone received their money, which is why I object to the proximity to insolvency. There wasn’t even a planned insolvency drawn up at the time. We fulfilled all our liabilities. There was no creditor, so the necessary substance was there. The payment terms were not met as planned, but we paid for everything.”
Looking back, Meier is “glad that we built the stadium.” To this day, Signal Iduna Park is a huge bargaining chip for BVB. “The performance of a manager cannot only be determined by the increase in sales and sporting successes. We have won all possible club titles. Management must also be measured by the structures created,” says Meier. “We spun off the business operations into the KGaA at an early stage without there being any discussion about it. The fact that capital expansions can still be made today, even in times of Corona, speaks for the basis created 20 years ago. Additionally A structure was created for the stadium that is not only timely but also secure in crisis situations.”
To this day, Dortmund supporters are divided on how they should assess the Niebaum/Meier era. Discussions about this often quickly become emotional. No wonder, after all, the greatest successes in the club’s history were followed by the club’s near-knockout. There is no doubt that the two officials have secured a secure place in the BVB chronicle. But this also applies to the journalists who uncovered what should not have been revealed 20 years ago – especially Hennecke and Röckenhaus, who were awarded the prestigious Henri Nannen Prize in 2005.
2023-12-22 07:30:00
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