Max Eberl addresses fans in an open letter

Borussia’s sporting director Max Eberl has written an open letter to the fans, in which he stated the following.

Dear fans,

It is almost exactly a year since our last home game under “normal circumstances” at BORUSSIA-PARK. When I say “normal circumstances”, I’m referring to football games with spectators, which we were able to experience before the coronavirus pandemic.

We miss you dearly. We miss the atmosphere that comes with a full football stadium. We miss sharing all the highs and lows – the celebrations, the euphoria, but also the frustration and anger. Yes, I must admit I miss that too: the boos and whistles after a poor performance. You are far away from the action, you’re not allowed to come to the games or even to a training session and watch the players and coaches at work while catching up with one another, just like we’ve always been able to do at Borussia.

In recent weeks, your need for venting and letting your feelings be known has taken a different form than before the pandemic. We’re reading them in newspaper interviews, in blogs and on banners you hang up in the stadium. I have every understanding for your disappointment and the criticism being expressed. Disappointment regarding our coach’s decision to change clubs at the end of the season (which was possible as per his contract), disappointment about recent results, criticism of my decision to continue working with Marco. I understand your feelings and I understand that they need to be heard. But please understand that I do not accept every form of criticism and that I have been annoyed by some choices of words, which I deem to be inappropriate.

I too am an emotional person. I think you all know that, and some of you have witnessed this already. In my role at Borussia, however, I must put emotions to one side and base my decisions on knowledge and reason. In the last few weeks especially, we’ve been confronted by rumours and false claims on repeated occasions – things that are made up by someone, anywhere in the world and spread across social media and other forms of media. I understand that this evokes even more emotion, but I still have to make clear distinctions between what is a rumour and what is the truth.   

Our club comes first. That is the attitude with which Stephan Schippers and I always approach our work. We make decisions when they need to be made, not based on interpersonal feelings nor out of consideration for others, pressure from outside or out of our own vanity. The most important thing is that we always want to make the best decisions for Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Solidarity is extremely important to us and we really hope that this feeling returns in full force for us all as the club has always stood for it ever since we joined in 1999. It’s about energy and strength as a club and for our team on the pitch! When I read that fans have ‘pulled the plug’ because our coach is leaving us and they are no longer interested in the current season because the coach is still in the dug-outs then this feeling of solidarity and fighting spirit for Gladbach is missing for me. I can’t understand surrendering in situations like these. So long as I am able to do this job alongside everyone else, I will never ‘pull the plug’. Giving up would never and could never be an option.

I bear the responsibility and for me it is purely about the prosperity of the club. Therefore, I have to push my emotions to the side and make decisions with reason and understanding. I can understand that not everybody will agree with all of my decisions, but it’s about Gladbach, not about the applause and I think that, based on the past few years, the level of trust should be so great that we can carry on together regardless. Borussia is and remains special and I hope that we can now prove it. We have overcome many difficult and unique situations in the past and I think we can do that again this time.

Yours,

Max Eberl