"German soccer governing body, DFB, criticized for blunders during commemoration of late World Cup champions"
German Football Association Apologizes for Omission of Rot-Weiss Essen from Frank Mill's Obituary
The German Football Association (DFB) has issued an apology for omitting Rot-Weiss Essen from the obituary of former footballer Frank Mill, who passed away recently. Mill began his professional career with Rot-Weiss Essen, playing 165 matches and scoring 90 goals for the club, making it a significant part of his football legacy.
The DFB's obituary, published in local newspapers, only mentioned Mill as a World Cup winner and did not acknowledge his boyhood and first professional club. This oversight led to criticism from fans of Rot-Weiss Essen and the club itself, who felt that a key part of Mill's football career was being overlooked.
Rot-Weiss Essen publicly mourned Mill and highlighted his important early career with the club, contrasting with the DFB’s more limited mention. Fans of Rot-Weiss Essen expressed their displeasure with the DFB's blunder on social media.
Andreas Rettig, CEO of DFB, apologized for the oversight to Bild and WAZ, stating that it was an oversight and not an intentional omission. Steffen Simon, media director of DFB, also acknowledged that Rot-Weiss Essen should have been recognized in the obituary.
Frank Mill joined Rot-Weiss Essen at the age of 14 and developed into a goal scorer at Hafenstraße, scoring 41 goals in the 2. Bundesliga in 1980/81 for Rot-Weiss Essen. Mill's training club was also Rot-Weiss Essen.
The death of Frank Mill has caused sadness in German football, with many former clubs, including Borussia Mönchengladbach, Borussia Dortmund, and Fortuna Düsseldorf, paying tribute to the World Champion. However, it is worth noting that Rot-Weiss Essen, a traditional club in Germany, was not mentioned in the initial obituary.
The DFB's obituary for Frank Mill was first reported by Bild and WAZ, and it did mention Mill's achievements, but it was the omission of his early club that caused confusion and upset among fans of Rot-Weiss Essen. The DFB's apology is an acknowledgement of the importance of recognizing the clubs that have played a significant role in a player's career.
The German Football Association (DFB) should have included Rot-Weiss Essen in their obituary for Frank Mill, as it was the club where he started his professional career and developed into a goal scorer. The omission of this traditional German club from the obituary, despite Mill's significant contributions to the club, raised concerns and upset among its fans.
