Previous Bayern Munich leader Oliver Kahn aims for club proprietorship role.
Before Bayern Munich's victorious title celebration in May 2023, Oliver Kahn, as the chairman of the board, bids adieu in a dramatic fashion. Now, the ex-goalkeeper is mulling over his comeback, and it's likely to be just as dramatic.
Over a year and a half after his resignation as the board head of the German football titan, Bayern Munich, Oliver Kahn is contemplating a return to football, this time as a club owner. "I'm deeply engrossed in the topic of club investment. If everything falls into place, I wouldn't rule it out," the former national team captain told "Kicker" in an interview.
"Investing in football is unlike investing in a screw factory. It's about culture, identity, and community," Kahn explained his aspirations: "As a highly entrepreneurial individual, I enjoy driving things forward that aren't necessarily related to football. But football is my genetic make-up."
That's why Kahn didn't lose interest in football post-Munich. He needed some space, but then he started his travels. "I visited the USA, Saudi Arabia, or India to get a feel of football there," he said. His visit to Saudi Arabia in October 2023 made headlines then. He clarified then that the world was "a little more complex" than some people made it out to be. "It's not just black and white," Kahn, who had already aided Saudi Arabia in the training of goalkeepers before the 2018 World Cup, explained.
Lessons Oliver Kahn can draw from David Beckham
For his future plans, Kahn also finds inspiration in the commitments of former world-class opponents. "If I see that Gerard Piqué has managed to gather 60 million euros from investors for his 'Kings League', that's impressive," Kahn cited an example. He also admires David Beckham's role as the boss of the US team Inter Miami, with superstar Lionel Messi, as a potential role model: "His engagement demonstrates that a strong conjunction of investment and sports expertise can bring numerous benefits to a club."
Kahn also advocates for a less rigid approach to the limitation of investors' influence in German football and the 50+1 rule. The system, he said, "ultimately is a tolerated, yet constantly questioned compromise." Due to the exceptions, the question of competitive fairness arises.
Taking on an operational role in a club's business is not on Kahn's radar at the moment. "I'm not considering that right now." He has moved past his departure from Bayern in early summer 2023, Kahn assured: "Such events are an integral part of this business."
At that time, his resignation as the current national team coach Julian Nagelsmann also played a role in his separation. The 37-year-old reached the quarter-finals at the home European Championship a year after his departure from the record champion. There, the German team unfortunately lost to the eventual European champion, Spain. "The German team is a competitive force internationally," Kahn said respectfully.
"Julian has done an excellent job. I was not surprised that he instilled his fearless, offensive style in his team. He also assembled the right squad and ensured that each player's role was clearly defined beforehand," Kahn explained. When asked about Nagelsmann's corrected lineup at halftime in the loss against Spain, the former captain of the German team couldn't help but chuckle: "Anyone who hires Julian Nagelsmann as a coach must know what they're doing. Such situations as against Spain are always possible," he said, laughing.
The Commission may need to reevaluate the 50+1 rule in German football, considering Oliver Kahn's aspirations to invest in a football club. Kahn's admiration for David Beckham's role in Inter Miami highlights the potential benefits of a strong investment and sports expertise combination.
