For Toni Schumacher, his role as ambassador for the women’s DFB Cup final on Friday (17:15 CEST) in Köln will be more than just a position. The former world class goalkeeper is approaching his involvement at the highlight of the women’s football season in his home town with passion and conviction. In an interview with DFB.de, the 61-year-old vice president of 1. FC Köln spoke about the game between Turbine Potsdam and VfL Wolfsburg and the events surrounding it.
DFB.de: Mr Schumacher, the DFB Cup final will be held in Köln for the sixth time on Friday. What importance does that have for the city and 1. FC Köln?
Toni Schumacher: A big one. The people of Köln are football mad. There will be celebrations in the stands. And the whole event surrounding the game is unique. There won’t be just a game on Friday – that is obviously the main event – but from midday there will be a big party with live music at the fan park. It’s an event for the whole family.
DFB.de: You are one of the ambassadors for the final. Where did your connection to women’s football come from?
Schumacher: Germany’s women have won the World Cup twice and are eight-time European champions. That’s an amazing achievement and I admire that. Women’s football in Germany is really good and the players are brilliant role models for those that want to play football, not just for women. When I was a child, it wasn’t common for women to play football. I’m happy that the situation is different today and therefore I want to stand up for women’s football.
DFB.de: VfL Wolfsburg will take on Turbine Potsdam in the final. What are your expecting from the game?
Schumacher: Anything is possible in football but that’s even more so in a final. Wolfsburg won the Champions League last season and are obviously the favourites but that doesn’t mean anything. If Potsdam, who have quality going forward, score the first goal then it will be exciting to see how Wolfsburg respond. They would have to take more risks and Potsdam could then try and hit them on the counter.
DFB.de: Will you be watching the game at the stadium?
Schumacher: Of course! And not just because I am an ambassador for the final. I’m very excited and will bring my family along too.
DFB.de: You won the DFB Cup three times as a player. What makes this competition so special in your opinion?
Schumacher: Among other things, the cup is an attractive competition because there is always a winner. It’s an important title to win in women’s football and it gets a lot of attention. Therefore the players give their all.
DFB.de: 1. FC Köln’s women have been knocked out in the quarter-finals in both of the last two seasons. Is it a dream of yours for Köln to be in the final at their own stadium?
Schumacher: Yes definitely it would be a dream come true if they got to the final at our own ground. They created a small cup upset last season when they beat Bayern 2-0 in the last 16. It was one of the shocks that makes the DFB Cup so special.
DFB.de: FC Köln’s women finally got promoted to the Allianz Women’s Bundesliga after a few attempts. Why does the club put so much emphasis on women’s football?
Schumacher: That shouldn’t be a question in 2015. We are one club and women’s football is obviously a part of that. If we do something at 1. FC Köln then we want to do it at the highest possible level and therefore we wanted to get our women promoted. FC Köln belong in the Bundesliga and that’s now the case for both the men and the women. But you can’t forget that as well as our ladies first team we have a second team and a ladies youth section from U11s up to U17s.
DFB.de: What is the outlook for women’s football at 1. FC Köln? What are your aims?
Schumacher: It’s comparable to the situation within the men’s team: We want to establish ourselves in the Bundesliga. If we do that then we can begin to set higher targets.
DFB.de: In the long-term would you like to be among the top teams?
Schumacher: That’s a long way away. We’re not looking at aims like that and it would be silly for me to presume that the women’s team would be among the top sides in the Allianz Women’s Bundesliga. We’re currently delighted that manager Willi Breuer and his side have managed to get promoted.
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For Toni Schumacher, his role as ambassador for the women’s DFB Cup final on Friday (17:15 CEST) in Köln will be more than just a position. The former world class goalkeeper is approaching his involvement at the highlight of the women’s football season in his home town with passion and conviction. In an interview with DFB.de, the 61-year-old vice president of 1. FC Köln spoke about the game between Turbine Potsdam and VfL Wolfsburg and the events surrounding it.
DFB.de: Mr Schumacher, the DFB Cup final will be held in Köln for the sixth time on Friday. What importance does that have for the city and 1. FC Köln?
Toni Schumacher: A big one. The people of Köln are football mad. There will be celebrations in the stands. And the whole event surrounding the game is unique. There won’t be just a game on Friday – that is obviously the main event – but from midday there will be a big party with live music at the fan park. It’s an event for the whole family.
DFB.de: You are one of the ambassadors for the final. Where did your connection to women’s football come from?
Schumacher: Germany’s women have won the World Cup twice and are eight-time European champions. That’s an amazing achievement and I admire that. Women’s football in Germany is really good and the players are brilliant role models for those that want to play football, not just for women. When I was a child, it wasn’t common for women to play football. I’m happy that the situation is different today and therefore I want to stand up for women’s football.
DFB.de: VfL Wolfsburg will take on Turbine Potsdam in the final. What are your expecting from the game?
Schumacher: Anything is possible in football but that’s even more so in a final. Wolfsburg won the Champions League last season and are obviously the favourites but that doesn’t mean anything. If Potsdam, who have quality going forward, score the first goal then it will be exciting to see how Wolfsburg respond. They would have to take more risks and Potsdam could then try and hit them on the counter.
DFB.de: Will you be watching the game at the stadium?
Schumacher: Of course! And not just because I am an ambassador for the final. I’m very excited and will bring my family along too.
DFB.de: You won the DFB Cup three times as a player. What makes this competition so special in your opinion?
Schumacher: Among other things, the cup is an attractive competition because there is always a winner. It’s an important title to win in women’s football and it gets a lot of attention. Therefore the players give their all.
DFB.de: 1. FC Köln’s women have been knocked out in the quarter-finals in both of the last two seasons. Is it a dream of yours for Köln to be in the final at their own stadium?
Schumacher: Yes definitely it would be a dream come true if they got to the final at our own ground. They created a small cup upset last season when they beat Bayern 2-0 in the last 16. It was one of the shocks that makes the DFB Cup so special.
DFB.de: FC Köln’s women finally got promoted to the Allianz Women’s Bundesliga after a few attempts. Why does the club put so much emphasis on women’s football?
Schumacher: That shouldn’t be a question in 2015. We are one club and women’s football is obviously a part of that. If we do something at 1. FC Köln then we want to do it at the highest possible level and therefore we wanted to get our women promoted. FC Köln belong in the Bundesliga and that’s now the case for both the men and the women. But you can’t forget that as well as our ladies first team we have a second team and a ladies youth section from U11s up to U17s.
DFB.de: What is the outlook for women’s football at 1. FC Köln? What are your aims?
Schumacher: It’s comparable to the situation within the men’s team: We want to establish ourselves in the Bundesliga. If we do that then we can begin to set higher targets.
DFB.de: In the long-term would you like to be among the top teams?
Schumacher: That’s a long way away. We’re not looking at aims like that and it would be silly for me to presume that the women’s team would be among the top sides in the Allianz Women’s Bundesliga. We’re currently delighted that manager Willi Breuer and his side have managed to get promoted.
