Serious allegations from Hertha investor Lars Windhorst
En the day after the sporting success on the pitch by beating Hoffenheim 3-0, Hertha’s investor Lars Windhorst made serious allegations against the President Werner Gegenbauer asked the question of power among the Berliners. It had become clear to him that it was no longer possible “to achieve something together as a team under the leadership of Mr. Gegenbauer,” Windhorst told the TV channel “Bild” on Sunday.
Gegenbauer is not about success, but about “maintaining power”. The Hertha President treats the Bundesliga club like a “personal toy”, criticized Windhorst, who has invested around 375 million euros in the club since 2019 Hertha has invested. Questions that he wrote to the financial management “to understand what happened to the money” have not yet been answered in detail.
It was “shocking that so much money was burned in such a short time,” said Windhorst, even if Corona played a role. If you look at the numbers, it is clear “that the club definitely needs new money to survive”. In the event of a relegation, Hertha would be in “extremely serious economic difficulties”. Windhorst emphasized that there would only be new money from him under a different leadership. At that time he “saw a historic opportunity” to participate in the club in the capital and relied “on being cooperative” and pulling together: “I’m disappointed that it didn’t work.”
Windhorst demands deselection
Even if he no longer wants to work with Gegenbauer himself, the Tennor Group will not give up its investment, Windhorst assured. He was “still determined to do everything to ensure that the investment can still be a success even with a delay and much greater difficulties than expected”.
Windhorst asked the supporters of the association to vote out the 71-year-old entrepreneur Gegenbauer at the upcoming general meeting in May. He himself is not available for the post of President because he has neither the time nor the interest. He will also not put any opposing candidates in position. Windhorst resigned from his post as a member of the Hertha Advisory Board.
Gegenbauer did not want to comment specifically on Windhorst’s plans. “Our club can only take note of these statements by Mr. Windhorst at the moment. In this difficult sporting situation, we promised the coaches and the team not to discuss these things in public in the coming crucial weeks,” he said at the request of the German Press Agency. However, Gegenbauer announced a statement on the relationship with Windhorst at a later date. “As soon as staying in the class is finally secured, I will clearly state our point of view and we will factually comment on the course and environment of the investment at Hertha BSC,” said Gegenbauer.
