"Marzipan" Krösche leaves Frankfurt in tears

The long-standing Eintracht Sports Board finds the right words in his farewell speech at the general meeting - and is overwhelmed by his emotions. Mathias Beck will remain president – and CEO Axel Hellmann looks ahead. The otherwise so rational Markus Krösche, who in his own words "would never run through Frankfurt without an upper body victory", wept. Not unrestrained, that would be exaggerated, but clearly recognizable. Several times, the long-standing sports director of Eintracht Frankfurt came to a standstill during his farewell speech at the general meeting, cleared his throat, was interrupted by applause, fell into long eggs and ears. It was in the West of Frankfurt. Very much so. A very special chocolate was also a topic – more on that later. “I must also have a certain cold in certain things,” said Krösche, “but the last few days were very emotional for me.” The past years with the Hessian Bundesliga team have been intense. “You showed me what it means to work in a traditional club,” he addressed the more than 1,300 members present: “That gave me so much energy, power and passion.” Standing ovations for Krösche Precisely that power but he had recently lost something. “I no longer had them 100 percent,” the 46-year-old openly admitted. Accordingly, he had come to the decision to leave the club. “I can’t do my best job anymore.” Of course: the interest of AC Milan is no longer a secret. But Krösche found the appropriate words in the Jahrhunderthalle that evening. I wish the club only the best in the world. I have been a Eintrachtler in recent years and will always remain a Eintrachtler, the manager concluded his emotional speech. He received a standing ovation. Mathias Beck will remain President of Eintracht Frankfurt for four more years. In the vote, which was carried out with high-pitched voting cards, the vast majority of arms swung upwards. With 1,215 voting members, Beck received only three votes against. There were also ten abstentions. "It's an honor, I'm very proud," the president said. Previously, Mathias Beck, who was later re-elected as president by an overwhelming majority, had already paid tribute to the work of Krösche. “It’s great to say goodbye not just in a media statement, but here with the people.” In his role as Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Beck has always worked well together with Krösche. Outsiders think you’re a cool, hardened doer. But I got to know an emotional Markus. Also loud applause. After Beck and Krösche, the new CEO Axel Hellmann entered the stage and talked about the future direction of the club. So the interim sports board addressed clear words to the team. It is important, as in the last 1-0 against Cologne, not to be on the road with "Schwanensee Ballet Shoes", but with a lot of energy, passion and community feeling. Only with these attributes is success possible. The leading players present Jonathan Burkardt, Robin Koch, Noah Atubolu, Mario Götze and Timothy Chandler as well as the coaching team around Adi Hütter listened closely. Hellmann’s words were powerful. As well as the club’s transfer strategy, which has changed. Not colossal, but noticeable. We will never afford ready-made players with European quality until the 18th squad place, but we will always bet on young forces. We look more into the NLZ, more into the German country, more at potential German national players – also from the U areas. This is not a departure, but an adjustment of the business model. Krösche had already initiated this path, it was not for nothing that the DFB storm duo was recently a Eintracht storm duo. Hellmann on Krösche: "Have given yourself to the club" The focus of the long evening was of course the Causa Krösche. Also Hellmann – in contrast to the press publication on Sunday – this time thankful words to his former colleague. You can listen, you are ready to welcome and you have given yourself to this club with all its facets. You will certainly have good, successful stations after Eintracht Frankfurt. But you will never again feel such internal warming as here. What was it about the chocolate? "I don't know anyone else," Hellmann explained with a grin in the direction of the tomato, "who looks like this and feeds almost exclusively on marzipan chocolate." Laughter in the room. So that would be clarified.