Coach Friedhelm Funkel has made heavy accusations against his former superiors Robert Palikuca and Robert Schäfer at Fortuna Düsseldorf. They would have secretly tried to replace him.
He sees proof of this in the commitment of Damir Canadis by 1st FC Nuremberg, where Palikuca is now the sports director. Canadi was also traded in Düsseldorf in autumn, when Palikuca was still at the helm of Fortuna.
This was denied to Funkel at the time: “It was denied to me that there was something to this personality. And now Canadi will become a trainer in Nuremberg”, explained Funkel in an interview with Rheinische Post. “That makes me feel betrayed. I won’t forget that, I’m vindictive!”
Funkel draws the appropriate conclusions from Canada’s commitment to Fortuna: “This shows how one obviously wanted to solve the trainer situation. That’s why there was this argument in Marbella. This confirms what I thought back then: They wanted to talk to me in May, but only to tell me they’re not renewing my contract.”
In Marbella there had been confusion about the future of the coach. The then chairman of the board, Schäfer, had announced that the contract would not be extended and that Funkel would be leaving at the end of the season. He didn’t forget that the fans then went for the sparkle: “Together with the media coverage, they were responsible for my being able to remain a coach.”
Funkel is very satisfied with the new sports directors Thomas Röttgermann and Lutz Pfannenstiel. In particular with Sportvorstand Pfannenstiel there is an “excellent exchange”. With CEO Röttgermann, Funkel comes even closer: “We are in the process of gaining more trust in each other at all levels.
The relationship of trust with Palikuca and Schäfer, on the other hand, was completely destroyed. “I don’t want to be in touch with these people anymore, it’s very simple. The tablecloth is cut,” said Funkel.
