OMG
Movie material: a “boxer” called Christoph Daum, “the
Movie material: a “boxer” called Christoph Daum, “the Don is dead”, and a little scandal cash for the national team goalkeeper....
Don is dead”, and a little scandal cash for the national team goalkeeper.
“Cassius”: that was the nickname given by Cologne’s
“Cassius”: that was the nickname given by Cologne’s tabloids to the cheeky, carefree FC coach who jolted German football out of its slumber in 1989, challenged mighty Bayern, took a brutal pounding, and then helped create one of the most unforgettable television appearances in German football history.
tabloids to the cheeky, carefree FC coach who jolted German football out of its slumber in 1989, challenged mighty Bayern, took a brutal pounding, and then helped create one of the most unforgettable television appearances in German football history. Another Cologne figure, in the turbulent 1980s, set off an avalanche with a highly explosive book project. These are the sort of scandal stories and glorious cringe moments that define 1. FC Köln.
Daum vs Hoeneß - the legendary TV duel:
Daum vs Hoeneß - the legendary TV duel: on 20 May 1989 ZDF viewers could barely breathe.
on 20 May 1989 ZDF viewers could barely breathe. Just before the direct title showdown on Matchday 31 of the 1988/89 season, FC coach Christoph Daum, flanked by sporting director Udo Lattek, met Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes, who arrived protected by manager Uli Hoeneß, on Aktuelles Sport-Studio. It became an hour of German sports television brilliance, a rain of poisoned arrows never since matched.
Presenter Bernd Heller immediately put Daum on the spot. Asked if he had already bought his plane ticket to Munich for the title celebration, the challenger shot back: “Yes, for Uli Hoeneß, so he can come to Cologne.” Hoeneß still smiled mildly - for the moment. Then he went on the attack, armed with a whole file of quotations.
As usual, the clever man from Ulm came meticulously prepared and cross-examined Daum one barb at a time, including Daum’s line that Jupp Heynckes could advertise sleeping pills. A second Daum quote - that after the win in Milan Heynckes briefly had one more brain cell with blood flow and was basically finished - pushed Hoeneß over the edge. Heynckes, in turn, accused Daum of inflaming the league for PR purposes and vowed never to forget the attack below the belt.
The studio erupted when Daum noted that Bayern were now apparently the authority on belt height. Daum boxed verbally. “You’re trying everything to knock me off my path,” he fired at Hoeneß, “but I can assure you: even you won’t manage it.” The viewers grew ecstatic and began singing “Take the leather trousers off Bayern.” Hoeneß still had an answer: “I won’t even need to try, because next Thursday your path is over.” Not quite. Köln did lose the direct duel with Bayern and the title race with it, but Daum stayed until 1990 and later returned for another two and a half years in 2006.
The Bundesliga scandal: when people speak of the
The Bundesliga scandal: when people speak of the Bundesliga scandal, they usually think of Schalke 04, Hertha BSC, Kickers Offenbach and Arminia Bielefeld.
Bundesliga scandal, they usually think of Schalke 04, Hertha BSC, Kickers Offenbach and Arminia Bielefeld. But 1. FC Köln were in it too, via national team goalkeeper Manfred Manglitz, who was banned for life twice and pardoned after two years. He was implicated in several key matches: on 5 May 1971 Offenbach president Horst-Gregorio Canellas wanted Köln highly motivated against Rot-Weiss Essen, rang Manglitz and asked how much it would take.
Manglitz demanded 25,000 Deutschmark, threatening otherwise to let a few in. Canellas paid, via Manglitz’s fiancée, and Köln won 3-2. On 22 May 1971 Manglitz was bribed again, this time by Oberhausen, to help Köln lose 4-2. On 5 June 1971 Canellas once more asked Manglitz what it would cost for Offenbach to beat Köln. Manglitz demanded 100,000 for himself and five teammates despite not even playing.
Canellas only pretended to agree and paid nothing. Köln won, Offenbach were relegated, and the cheated cheat finally detonated the bomb by releasing recorded phone conversations.
“Toni” and Anpfiff: “It’s always the same,” begins
“Toni” and Anpfiff: “It’s always the same,” begins perhaps the biggest scandal book in German football history.
perhaps the biggest scandal book in German football history. In 1987, FC idol Harald “Toni” Schumacher packed revelations into Anpfiff - and effectively packed himself out of the club and national team. Forget Uli Stein, Jimmy Hartwig or Stefan Effenberg: the mother of all football scandal books came from the pen of “de Tünn”.
Chapters with titles like “Rummenigge: Alone Against the Mafia”, “Injections and Sex” and “The Press: Armed with Pen and Roof Batten” thrilled an entire generation of football readers. At the DFB, one can imagine, there was little amusement. Team boss Franz Beckenbauer suspended the Köln keeper on the instructions of the presidency, something he later called his greatest mistake.
The 2-2 against Spain on 15 October 1986 became Schumacher’s final appearance for Germany. It probably hurt him almost as much that his own club also threw him out - on his birthday, of all days.
Back to square one: Köln and coaches -
Back to square one: Köln and coaches - a chapter all of its own.
a chapter all of its own. On 27 April 2019, Effzeh dismissed Cologne-born coach Markus Anfang despite a six-point cushion over the playoff place, after four games without a win. He had arrived only at the start of the season from Kiel. And that was not even close to the fastest coaching drama in club history.
Finished after two games: 1. FC Köln also
Finished after two games: 1.
provided two of the fastest coaching dismissals in Bundesliga history. After a 0-1 against Schalke, 1-1 in Düsseldorf and a humiliating cup exit at amateur side Beckum, Morten Olsen was gone in late August 1995. Rinus Michels, “the General”, had also been dismissed after the second matchday in 1983.
Köln and the English - what a load
Köln and the English - what a load of driss: English opposition repeatedly denied the club the very biggest European success.
of driss: English opposition repeatedly denied the club the very biggest European success. Against clubs from “that island lying somewhere off Holland in the North Sea”, as FC fan Wolfgang Niedecken once put it, Köln managed only three wins in fifteen matches. Nottingham Forest and Ipswich Town stopped them in the semis of the European Cup in 1979 and the UEFA Cup in 1981. With all due respect, Malmö FF and AZ Alkmaar would have been eminently manageable final opponents for that Köln side.
The draw is against Köln: history was made
The draw is against Köln: history was made in the only meeting with Liverpool, in the 1964/65 European Cup quarter-final.
in the only meeting with Liverpool, in the 1964/65 European Cup quarter-final. After two 0-0 draws in Cologne and Anfield and then another 2-2 after 120 minutes in Rotterdam, there was still no penalty shootout in those days. The tie had to be decided by lot.
As Ulrich Kühne-Hellmessen later wrote, it was the bitterest, cruelest way to settle a football match. Even the first toss failed, because the token stuck in the mud of De Kuip. A second toss followed - and the token fell red, meaning Liverpool advanced.
Even in England, there was disgust at such a decision. The Daily Mail called Europe’s greatest club competition a lottery.
The Don is dead - or is he?
One of the most bizarre stories in FC’s founding years concerns Hennes Weisweiler. In 1947/48 he was badly injured in a promotion playoff against Rhenania Würselen, and in Cologne a rumour spread quickly that he had died in hospital. Fortunately, the Don was not dead - but he had suffered a fractured skull base.
Where did the Häßler millions go? During the
Where did the Häßler millions go?
1990 World Cup, successful coach Christoph Daum was suddenly dismissed. In 1991 president Artzinger-Bolten resigned.
At first glance the two events seemed unrelated, but under successor Klaus Hartmann it emerged that 1. FC Köln were nearly broke and the club’s licence was in danger. Why? Hardly anyone understood.
Talk spread of the missing Häßler millions. The details of the transfer to Juventus were never fully clarified. What is clear now is that the transfer and its hidden details were one cause of Daum’s dismissal and Artzinger-Bolten’s resignation.
Stupidity in the DFB Cup - “Mach et,
Stupidity in the DFB Cup - “Mach et, Otze”: on 7 May 1991, striker Frank Ordenewitz received a yellow card in the cup semi-final and would therefore have been suspended for the final.
Otze”: on 7 May 1991, striker Frank Ordenewitz received a yellow card in the cup semi-final and would therefore have been suspended for the final. He wanted instead to serve the ban in the league, which was then possible. Coach Erich Rutemöller gave the green light: “Mach et, Otze!” The plan backfired badly.
Rutemöller could not keep quiet after the game and admitted live on television that Otze had discussed it with him. The DFB reacted by explicitly suspending Ordenewitz for the final after all, fining Rutemöller and prompting sporting director Udo Lattek to call him an amateur. He was not FC coach for much longer.
As a postscript, a hobby team, a skittles club and a Facebook group now all carry the name “Mach et, Otze”.
Also in the Akte network
Same chapter · other clubsOMG — Update 2020–2026
Steffen Baumgart on the touchline in freezing temperatures — no jacket, just the flat cap.
Steffen Baumgart on the touchline in freezing temperatures
Steffen Baumgart on the touchline in freezing temperatures — no jacket, just the flat cap.
no jacket, just the flat cap. The image became the symbol of his time in office. The emotional coach who celebrated goals like a fan and suffered defeats like a player turned into a social-media phenomenon.
Anthony Modeste’s move to BVB in 2022 was
Anthony Modeste’s move to BVB in 2022 was one of the strangest transfers of the year.
one of the strangest transfers of the year. The 34-year-old striker, fresh off a 20-goal season for Cologne, was supposed to replace Erling Haaland in Dortmund. He failed completely — one goal in 24 appearances.