By Oliver Trust
BERLIN, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- The German football association Deutscher Futball Bund (DFB) is pinning its hopes upon Fritz Keller, a 62-year-old winemaker running a restaurant.
This Friday, the former president of the Bundesliga side SC Freiburg is likely to be elected as the 13th DFB president, with the tough task of repairing its damaged reputation and uniting a divided DFB.
DFB is suffering from the turmoil with allegations of bribery around the 2006 World Cup bid, and several former presidents are facing legal action.
Furthermore, Germany had the disappointing exit from the group stage at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, only four years after being crowned in Brazil.
And Keller's predecessor Reinhard Grindel resigned in April 2019 after accepting an inadmissible present from a businessman.
Keller is said to stand for integrity as he never produced negative headlines in his career, and can count on widespread support from club leaders and regional state officials.
Born into a football family with his father Franz in close touch with the 1954 World Cup heroes, Keller is the godson of German legend Fritz Walter and was named after the famous striker.
The DFB is said to count on a three-pillar system with Oliver Bierhoff as supervisor of national coach Joachim Loew, CEO Friedrich Curtius in charge of the economic part, vice president Rainer Koch dealing with foreign affairs.
Keller is said to be the new hope for DFB, which for decades is suffering from diverting interests of professional and amateur football under the seven-million-member federation.
"We have to be aware of our social responsibility. Football is the glue of society and its last bonfire. We need to be a haven for everyone and an example for fruitful co-existence," Keller said.
Germany needs to return to the world's top with the national team, Keller said, adding professional, amateur and women football are equivalent parts of his work.
"There will be no one-man-show anymore," Keller said.
