Under-fire President of the German Football Association (DFB) made a shock football regret on Sunday. Grindel admitted that should have supported Mesuit Ozil, when he was the target of “racist statement”.
“I should have positioned myself more clearly given the racist attacks from some corners and should have put myself in front of Mesut Ozil,” Reinhard Grindel told German daily Bild on Sunday.“Such attacks are unacceptable. I should have found clear words.”
The Arsenal midfielder made a shock retirement announcement on international after country side Germany failed to navigate pass the group stages of the World cup. Mesuit Ozil grumbled about facing racist statement due to his Turkish origins and specifically targeted Grindel in his 3 page statement.
The saga began when Ozil and Gundogan who both have Turkish root visited the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan back in May. German media perceived the visit as lack of loyalty to Germany and the two were booed in their friendly against neighboring Austria.
“In the eyes of Grindel and his supporters, I am German when we win, but I am an immigrant when we lose,” Ozil wrote damningly, sparking fierce debate about integration in Germany. While Gundogan have come out to explain that the meeting have no political motivation, Ozil instead choose to retire from the national team.
Grindel in his recent statement admitted that he should have managed the crises differently but denied claims that he made Ozil the black sheep of their World cup disaster.
“I am sorry he feels let down by the DFB,” Grindel said. “But it is important to emphasis that after the World Cup, I never commented on his performances. “For me it was always clear that we win together and lose together. To blame a single player for going out would be absurd.”