2015 is coming to an end. It was a pleasant but also a tough year for Hannes Löhr. The 20-time Germany international spoke with DFB.de about his stroke earlier in the year. He updates us on how he is doing today and what the past few months have been like.
But obviously the 73-year-old also talked about his biggest passions - football, 1. FC Köln and the German national team. He also discusses the Olympic Games in Rio next year, with a German team participating for the first time since 1988, where he led to the team to a Bronze medal.
DFB.de: Mr. Löhr, 2015 is coming to an end. How has the past year gone for you?
Hannes Löhr: For me personally it was a pleasant, but also tough year. But as I always try to look on the bright side of things, I have to say that the year was mostly positive. You will ask what I mean by that and I will tell you: my daughter got married and my grandchild was born this year. That's just great. It's such a joy to watch a young child grow.
DFB.de: But you also suffered set-backs.
Löhr: Of course, but they are part of life. Obviously I could've done without them, but life isn't always that easy. Overall however, I'm fully aware that God has been very kind to me.
DFB.de: Earlier in the year you suffered a stroke following pneumonia. How are you doing now?
Löhr: I'm well again. Particularly the last six to eight weeks were important, as I made small but crucial steps in the right direction. You will notice that I have no problems at all with my speech and movement isn't an issue either anymore. My vision remains slightly affected, but that's something I can deal with. I would really like to play golf again in the new year. That would make me happy.
DFB.de: Did you expect your recovery to be like this?
Löhr: No, not at all. Let me make something clear, I was quite lucky considering the circumstances and I had a guardian angel by my side. The simple fact that I had the stroke practically on my doctor's front door step was destiny. Who knows how it would've ended if it had happened while I was at home by myself. I encountered some set-backs and it was never clear how it would turn out in the end, but fortunately everything went well.
DFB.de: Can you remember the stroke at all?
Löhr: Yes, certainly. I remember breaking down on the sidewalk. Like I said, I was on my way to the doctor and wanted to walk up several stairs to his office when it happened. I also remember being brought to the hospital in an ambulance. I received superb treatment there and want to thank all the doctors for their great efforts. A lot of people helped save my life.
DFB.de: Was the stroke induced by the pneumonia that you had complained about before?
Löhr: I don't know. None of the doctors came to that conclusion and I didn't make any further enquiries in that regard. Perhaps it was just the combination of several unfortunate incidents. I hope that I can continue to recover next year, as I still have a lot of plans.
2015 is coming to an end. It was a pleasant but also a tough year for Hannes Löhr. The 20-time Germany international spoke with DFB.de about his stroke earlier in the year. He updates us on how he is doing today and what the past few months have been like.
But obviously the 73-year-old also talked about his biggest passions - football, 1. FC Köln and the German national team. He also discusses the Olympic Games in Rio next year, with a German team participating for the first time since 1988, where he led to the team to a Bronze medal.
DFB.de: Mr. Löhr, 2015 is coming to an end. How has the past year gone for you?
Hannes Löhr: For me personally it was a pleasant, but also tough year. But as I always try to look on the bright side of things, I have to say that the year was mostly positive. You will ask what I mean by that and I will tell you: my daughter got married and my grandchild was born this year. That's just great. It's such a joy to watch a young child grow.
DFB.de: But you also suffered set-backs.
Löhr: Of course, but they are part of life. Obviously I could've done without them, but life isn't always that easy. Overall however, I'm fully aware that God has been very kind to me.
DFB.de: Earlier in the year you suffered a stroke following pneumonia. How are you doing now?
Löhr: I'm well again. Particularly the last six to eight weeks were important, as I made small but crucial steps in the right direction. You will notice that I have no problems at all with my speech and movement isn't an issue either anymore. My vision remains slightly affected, but that's something I can deal with. I would really like to play golf again in the new year. That would make me happy.
DFB.de: Did you expect your recovery to be like this?
Löhr: No, not at all. Let me make something clear, I was quite lucky considering the circumstances and I had a guardian angel by my side. The simple fact that I had the stroke practically on my doctor's front door step was destiny. Who knows how it would've ended if it had happened while I was at home by myself. I encountered some set-backs and it was never clear how it would turn out in the end, but fortunately everything went well.
DFB.de: Can you remember the stroke at all?
Löhr: Yes, certainly. I remember breaking down on the sidewalk. Like I said, I was on my way to the doctor and wanted to walk up several stairs to his office when it happened. I also remember being brought to the hospital in an ambulance. I received superb treatment there and want to thank all the doctors for their great efforts. A lot of people helped save my life.
DFB.de: Was the stroke induced by the pneumonia that you had complained about before?
Löhr: I don't know. None of the doctors came to that conclusion and I didn't make any further enquiries in that regard. Perhaps it was just the combination of several unfortunate incidents. I hope that I can continue to recover next year, as I still have a lot of plans.
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DFB.de: Christmas is right around the corner. What are your plans?
Löhr: It's a celebration of the family and I'm really looking forward to it. Christmas Eve will be spent with my daughter, her husband and our grandchild. We also have plans for Christmas Day and Boxing Day. We won't get bored, but at the same time we will be taking it easy. I'm not yet back at 100 percent.
DFB.de: Have you been able to return to the stadium yet?
Löhr: Fortunately yes. I'm always in attendance for 1. FC Köln's home games. It's really important to me, because I have to know what's going on. The club is also like an extended family for me. I have a lot of friends there, who also took great care of me when I wasn't doing so well. It's a great feeling to know that you can rely on them.
DFB.de: What is your verdict on Köln's season so far?
Löhr: I agree with what many others have been saying as well: The club is on the right track. Above all, Jörg Schmadtke and Peter Stöger are doing a great job, but there’s a lot that can still be done. 2016 will be a big challenge and an exciting year. Not just for Köln, but also for the national team.
DFB.de: Are you talking about the European Championships in France?
Löhr: That too. As World Champions, we immediately become favourites in France. But I'm also talking about the Olympic Games in Rio.
DFB.de: It will be the first time a German football team has taken part since 1988. Back then, you were in charge of the team and guided them to a bronze medal. Do you still have the medal?
Löhr: Unfortunately, the coaching staff weren’t rewarded with a medal back then, but we did get a certificate. I don't know how they go about it today and I also didn't really mind either way. The 1988 Olympic Games was an unforgettable event. It remains one of my career highlights.
DFB.de: What memories stand out the most?
Löhr: We had a difficult preparation going into the tournament. We had to form a completely new team but ultimately we were able to field a very strong side. We had players like Thomas Häßler and Jürgen Klinsmann in our team. Some of the players later won the World Cup or European Championship, so we definitely had quality in our squad. I also remember the unbelievable atmosphere quite well. You just have to experience it yourself. I'm really happy that German football will be represented once again.
DFB.de: How do you think they will do?
Löhr: The same thinking as earlier applies: Germany will always be among the favourites. Obviously we don't know yet what their squad will be like, but we should still be able to have a good tournament.
