World Football News: Beckenbauer to retire from FIFA and UEFA’s administrative duties
Franz Beckenbauer has confirmed that he has decided to step down from FIFA’s executive committee in the 2011 year due to certain family reasons. Beckenbauer has been a great servant to world football at first as a player and an exceptional
football and then as a manager followed up by an ambassador for German and European football all over the world. Franz won the 1974 World Cup with Germany as a captain and then also led the German national side to World Cup glory in 1990 over Maradona’s Argentina
as the manager of Germany.
Beckenbauer who is currently 65 years old confirmed his decision as he spoke to the German newspaper Bild in his home country. He explained that the main reason for parting ways with footballs governing body, FIFA has been the fact that
he wants to spend more time with his children and is wife. He went onto announce that he will not be standing up for re-election come March 2011 when his current four year tenure comes to an end in the FIFA executive committee.
The legendary German defender said, "If I were to stand for another four years, then I would be almost 70 at the end of the term. My son Joel would be already 14 and my daughter Francesca 11. I would have once again missed seeing my children
grow up. I missed that with my first children and I am not making this mistake again." Franz also recently forfeited his post as the Bayern Munich president as well, this happened just before his 65th birthday in Germany.
The man who invented the “sweeper” position in world football said, "I just feel that I don't have the fire burning inside me anymore. It was like this in 1990 when we won the World Cup. I had the best national team in the world and you
don't just quit, but I had the same feeling back then as I do now. When you feel disinterest and grumble inside when you think that you have to go on another trip, then it's best to call it a day. In 2010, I spent two-and-a-half months travelling for FIFA
and UEFA and that is too much for me, I don't want that anymore."
Beckenbauer explained that even Sepp Blatter, FIFA’s president had tried to convince him for re-election but the German aristocrat was adamant on his decision eventually. He spoke about Blatter as he said, "Not even his powers of persuasion
could change my mind. I think he is really sad about it. He said: “Franz, you have got to stay'. Well I will be staying in football until the ends of my life. I have been involved for 46 years. As a player, coach, Bayern president, since 1997 for the World
Cup bid and then as the Organization Committee boss. I could certainly also have become UEFA president after 2006 if I had wanted to, but I didn't want to. Now is time to let it go, so I am letting it go. I will carry on a few jobs, like a TV expert or column
writer, but the rest of my time will be spent playing golf, walking in the mountains and looking after my children.”
Franz also spoke about his wife Heidi as he said, "The decision has been brewing for a while. I just want more time for my family and to be able to work more intensely on my foundation. Heidi never told me 'you must stay at home', although
she will obviously be happy that I am at home a bit more in future."
Franz’s honours as a player include, 4 Bundesliga titles, 3 European Cups with Bayern Munich, one FIFA World Cup win with Germany as a player and one FIFA World Cup win with Germany again as a manager.
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