Hannover 96 and Marcus Mann: A dispute that is about the license

Functional careers at Hannover 96 sometimes run, Marcus man could have known. A look at his predecessor Gerhard “Gerry” Zuber is enough: The Austrian was under contract with the second division soccer team for a total of six years, he was hired, thrown out, tolerated, but banished to a basement office. He sued twice in court in his job.

In January 2020 it became particularly wild when Zuber only won in court (the termination against him was ineffective) and the next day the 96 boss Martin Kind was used again as a sporting director. Hanover needed a sports director, Zuber was on the salary slip. Was that what? Dispute? A legal proceedings? As Zuber moved from the basement chamber to the head office, a legendary story is.

The situation for Marcus Mann, 40, is not so turbulent yet, although: in his indictment before the second division game on Saturday at 1st FC Nürnberg, the 96 2: 1 won, a significant level of frustration and incomprehension sounded. Again, it is not about footballing questions at 96 and the possible return of the team into the race for the Bundesliga promotion, but about posts in the background. And the club still seems to be split into two camps.

“Something has to change,” says Marcus Mann, “this condition is unbearable”

In the case of men, it is about the position of the managing director of the professional department. This job has been vacant for eight months since Martin Kind lost it by court ruling in July 2024. Mann, the current sports director, would like to climb, but so far he is not allowed because the supervisory board of Management GmbH, which is responsible for the playing company of the professional team, does not agree. As always at 96, it is complicated: Four members sit on the four -member supervisory board, two are ordered from the investor side around Martin Kind (Gregor Baum, Matthias Kind), two from the mother club (Sebastian Kramer, Ralf Nestler). Most recently there was a stalemate in the dispute, two to two. Results: no promotion for men.

“Something has to change, this condition is unbearable,” said Mann to the television broadcaster Sky: “If we continue like this, then these people will drive the EV and the professional department against the wall.” By this he meant club boss Kramer and head of supervisory board Nestler, who both belong to the mother club, i.e. the investor -critical camp. Mann threatened to retreat relatively openly, at some point the time was “where the circus is no longer participating”.

The case has an even more serious background, because it is not just about a managing director’s post, but even about the license within the next 14 days. Without officially appointed managing directors, 96 has a real problem in the licensing process, for which the association has to submit the documents by March 17. Sports chief Mann is equipped with a power of attorney for ongoing business, and he can also sign player contracts. However, the signature of a managing director is mandatory for the submission of the license documents. “The fact is that we do not know who to sign it two weeks before the license documents are submitted,” said Mann.

Does man escape the argument and prefer to go to the KSC?

The Hannover 96 eV does not want to leave the fact that the Black Peter lies with the mother club. Without referring directly to Mann’s words, the mother club published its own announcement, in which the situation is presented very differently. A long time ago on the Supervisory Board, they agreed on a candidate that was not mentioned by name. This has even signed a service contract that “only needs the signatures of the two supervisory board representatives on the capital”. The fact that this hesitates is allegedly due to the powers of instructions anchored in the contract. To whom the new managing director has to report to the club side, the capital side or both, is of high importance in the smoldering camp dispute at 96.

Is this candidate that the Supervisory Board has agreed on is Marcus Mann? Or a completely different name? A further explosive in the case brings a rumor that associated the current sports director of all sides with the league competitor Karlsruher SC. The KSC is looking for a new sports director after saying goodbye to Oliver Kreutzer, and men are almost part of the family. KSC coach Christian Eichner is dating with Mann’s sister.

At the weekend, Eichner said that he was a fan of trusting employment relationships: “I think it would not be so wrong if you know each other if you appreciate yourself when you know how the other tick.” That should mean: come to Karlsruhe, dear brother -in -law. The next punch line followed on Monday: the shareholders stood out loud Bild An application for the District Court of Hanover an application for an emergency manager.