NPR

Franz Anton Beckenbauer, gone today. RIP

That's two real legends of their respective sports in the same day, JPR and Beckenbauer.

Der Kaiser ist tot. Lang lebe der Kaiser.

I think he was the first to win WC as a player and as a manager. RIP

an incredibly talented player; but sadly a complete shit, & crook of an administrator, & that is what will define him.

fishfoodie wrote: Mon Jan 08, 2024 11:45 pm an incredibly talented player; but sadly a complete shit, & crook of an administrator, & that is what will define him.

I don't think it will define him.

Football is by far the most popular sport in the world, they reckon one and a half billion watch the FIFA World Cup Final. Millions flock to games every weekend, no one gives a shit about the money in football and where it comes from.

Football fans will remember the player, not the administrator

Kiwias wrote: Mon Jan 08, 2024 11:17 pm I think he was the first to win WC as a player and as a manager. RIP

Mario Zagallo must have been the first?! 1958 and 1970?

Edit: just checked: winner as a player in 1958 and 1962, and as coach in 1970. And he died 4 days ago, 5th of January 2024.

Despite inflicting the biggest sporting trauma in their history on the country in 1974, he was well-respected and even liked in The Netherlands. Marco van Basten is on record saying how deeply impressed he was with Beckenbauer's behaviour after the Dutch beat Germany (coached by Beckenbauer) in the Euro 1988 semi-final in Hamburg. Says a lot about the man.

Don't know much about his administrator era. What did he (allegedly/definitely) do?

clydecloggie wrote: Tue Jan 09, 2024 2:41 pm Despite inflicting the biggest sporting trauma in their history on the country in 1974, he was well-respected and even liked in The Netherlands. Marco van Basten is on record saying how deeply impressed he was with Beckenbauer's behaviour after the Dutch beat Germany (coached by Beckenbauer) in the Euro 1988 semi-final in Hamburg. Says a lot about the man.

Don't know much about his administrator era. What did he (allegedly/definitely) do?

Worked hand in glove with Blatter taking bribes & fixing votes for World Cup bids, & of course avoiding taxes on said bribes, etc, etc.

This. He had the status of a demigod in Germany. Could talk the dumbest stuff in interviews, even confirmed doping during his playing days, he called it "Vitamin injections", yet nobody cared and he forever remained the Kaiser.