Jörg Albrecht: finding solutions through dialogue

Mr. Albrecht, congratulations on your election as the chairman of TSG Hoffenheim e.V. What were your first thoughts after the result of the closed ballot was announced at the general meeting in Dr. Sieber Hall in Sinsheim?

I was very pleased with the confidence of the members who voted for me. At the same time, I wanted to reach out to those who had expressed their reservations during the evening. All of us who are closely linked to TSG Hoffenheim must now take the opportunity to initiate the transition to a phase of dialogue. The goal must be to sit down at the table together in the future and to deal with opposing positions constructively.

How did you experience the general meeting, which was saw a record attendance and lasted four hours, with around 1,000 members present, including 469 eligible voters?

A general assembly offers members a place to express their opinions. That is how we act as a club, and that is how it has to be. I see it as a positive: all the cards were put on the table. Tensions were high sometimes – like on the football pitch. The evening was a turning point. Now is the time to look ahead.

How do you intend to approach the fan groups who expressed their reservations, in some cases objectively, but others highly emotionally?

Of course, something like this is always going to have an impact on you I take the concerns and criticisms expressed seriously, just as I took it seriously that a candidate with close links to the fan community was put up for election in Marvin Rotermundt. In the past few weeks, the Board have already reached out to invite the fan community to talks. We will, of course, continue to extend these invitations. The aim must be to come together in a timely manner. I said this publicly during the general meeting, and I addressed it to Mr Rotermundt directly. He then raised his thumb. I am optimistic that we will find a way of establishing a dialogue.

The fan community was obviously also concerned about some personnel decisions over the past few weeks.

The reasons behind these decisions were explained by the deputy chairman Simone Engelhardt. But again: we are open to conversations with the aim of finding solutions that suit all parties quickly.

Moving on from the subject of the fans: what will be the focus of your work as chairman?

As the elected chairman of TSG Hoffenheim e.V., I represent the interests of the members of our club. On the board, we want to support everyone and meet the wishes and needs of our members. In addition, it is now more important than ever to make public the separation between the registered association (e.V.), of which TSG Hoffenheim is part, and the footballing operations entity (Fußball-Spielbetrieb GmbH). I will not be signing any players or talking to the coach about his work. Deputy chairman Simone Engelhardt chosen her words very carefully and appropriately in her speech at the general meeting. We will sit down on the board to work together on a strategy for getting our content more strongly placed in the registered association as a whole.

What skills do you bring into office? What makes you stand out?

I worked as a local politician for 24 years. One of my strengths during this time was that I managed to bring people together and find solutions through dialogue. Many members who were also present at the general meeting confirmed this to me before and after the election. In addition, during my time as Lord Mayor in Sinsheim, I also established a number of networks, which I would like to incorporate into my voluntary work for the club wherever it makes sense.

You talk about the voluntary nature of your work in the office of the chairman of TSG Hoffenheim e.V. You have been employed full-time as chairman of the charity ‘Anpfiff ins Leben’ since 1 September. How do you assess your dual role?

The tasks are clearly separated between my professional role for Anpfiff ins Leben and the voluntary work at TSG Hoffenheim e.V. – my professional focus is on the work for ‘Anpfiff ins Leben’. I will dedicate myself to the voluntary work for TSG Hoffenheim e.V. in my free time, working on our board. I have thought a lot about this arrangement and a detailed plan of how I want to approach both tasks independently.

How do you counter the accusations of being “the puppet” of Dietmar Hopp?

I’m not a puppet. Dietmar Hopp enjoys my utmost appreciation for his life’s work and I quote Simone Engelhardt, who rightly said in her report for the board: I really do not understand the hostility against Dietmar Hopp, without whose commitment TSG would still be playing in the Kreisliga district league. It is thanks to him – and nobody else – that the club have been playing in the Bundesliga for 16 years. The fortunes of professional footballers are managed by the heads of the playing operations entity. The registered association establishes the framework for this through its statutes.

The next presidential elections will be held in three years’ time. How would you like to be the bullet points of your first term in office?

TSG Hoffenheim as a whole is operating in harmony. They have restored their good relationship with the fans and people in the region, increased the number of spectators and regularly play in Europe.