Those in charge of the Bundesliga football club Eintracht Frankfurt have reprimanded their own supporters after repeated riots and pyrotechnic incidents. “If something leaves your hand – whether burning or not – and is thrown or shot into the interior or at other people and thereby endangers them, that cannot be tolerated,” said President Mathias Beck at the general meeting.
Eintracht Frankfurt shortly before signing a coach
This misconduct weakens the club, explained board spokesman Axel Hellmann. “Because we are simply a club that is only strong in this connection.” After five away exclusions in seven seasons, the club “needs to make adjustments that reduce the risk of this continuing,” said Hellmann.
Eintracht is now close to signing a new coach. We are “on the home stretch of understanding,” said Hellmann. They will “introduce the new coach shortly”. Eintracht parted ways with coach Dino Toppmöller a good week ago and thus responded to the sporting crisis.
Above all, the goal of qualifying for the European Cup again is at risk as eighth in the table. Former Dortmund and Leipzig coach Marco Rose and St. Pauli coach Alexander Blessin are considered candidates to succeed Toppmöller.
In the sportingly insignificant Champions League game at home against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday (9 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Champions League and on DAZN), the interim duo Dennis Schmitt and Alexander Meier will, as before, look after the team. Even before the last matchday it was clear that Eintracht could no longer reach the knockout phase.
Axel Hellmann: “Misjudged the squad”
At the end of Toppmöller’s term in office, the 45-year-old lacked conviction, said Hellmann. He also indirectly criticized those responsible around squad planner and sports director Markus Krösche. “I think we misjudged the squad at one point or another and position, and we have to say that one or the other personnel simply didn’t work,” said Hellmann.
The Frankfurt team will soon have to do without offensive jewel Can Uzun again. The 20-year-old is missing until further notice due to a muscle injury in his thigh, Eintracht announced. Uzun sustained the injury on Saturday in the 1:3 loss against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. He was substituted in the 61st minute.
Uzun was out for several weeks last November due to a muscle injury. The Turkish international has eight goals and five assists across all competitions this season.
Eintracht meanwhile reported a record high in membership numbers. As President Beck announced at the membership gathering, the club now has 160,000 people. “This shows that we as an entire club are still on the right track, that we can inspire both fans of football and those active in the sport under the Eintracht umbrella and convince them with our offers,” Beck was quoted as saying.
This means that Eintracht remains one of the largest sports clubs in Germany and the largest multi-sport sports club in the world with a professional football team. “And we continue to grow,” emphasized Beck. Last year the number of members exceeded 150,000. Within two years it has increased by 21,000. The growth in membership is one of the “big success stories of recent years,” said Beck.
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