Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, former Germany teammate and long-standing chairman of the board at Bayern Munich, reveals how Rudi Völler works as a managing director and also his importance for the public perception of his club:
"Rudi Völler has succeeded in leaving his mark as a manager in football. He has superbly mastered his second career as sporting director and sporting managing director. There is no study course for that but the wealth of experience from his long playing career was a perfect base to set him up for the new challenges. Rudi has been challenged much more in management positions than was previously the case – even for him as a top player. He definitely knows how to face the media even when things aren't going so well on the pitch. And his decisions in the transfer market with top signings and often very worthwhile transfers out have mostly worked out perfectly. From my own experience, a club boss is ultimately measured by how his team performs on the pitch. The fact Rudi has never been challenged shows how well he's done his job in spite of the increasing demands.
He has been much more for the club than a sporting director or more recently as a managing director. There have been a lot of good people in the club and there still are but the face of Bayer 04 Leverkusen is Rudi Völler. Whenever we met up before games at lunch it was always striking how well Rudi got on with his colleagues. Bayern against Bayer – we've had some big battles but when Rudi entered the room there was immediately a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. Rudi is simply a great personality and has an enormously positive charisma. That's why he is so incredibly popular amongst the population.
Whenever we stood together for the interests of our clubs, Rudi was always a representative of real football while other clubs integrated more and more finance people. He doesn't think about how to earn the next Euro. He is pro football and not always pro finance or pro marketing, which can damage our sport. It's a sign of his strength that he has made the decision to stop now. Rudi Völler can again leave the pitch with his head held and with pride just like he did after his playing career."
#DankeRudi – Part IV: Holzhäuser: ‘He was my best signing’
#DankeRudi – Part III: Ballack: ‘Rudi knew exactly what made players tick’
#DankeRudi – Part II: Calmund: ‘Where would Bayer 04 be without Rudi Völler?’
#DankeRudi – Part I: Hermann: ‘A slick operator full of ambition’
Bayer 04 player Carlotta Wamser is part of a VIP group joining together for the launch of the DFB campaign Punktespiel 2.0. The Germany international, who signed for the Werkself in the summer, will be speaking tonight (Monday) alongside former Leverkusen managing director sport Rudi Völler, now the current DFB sporting director, plus DFB president Bernd Neuendorf and DFB vice-president Peter Frymuth at the FC Grenzwacht Hürtgen club house about the new clubs campaign launched by the German Football Association (DFB).
Show moreThe Werkself are away to FC St. Pauli on Matchday 5 in the 2025/26 Bundesliga campaign. The game at the Millerntor Stadion will be played on Saturday, 27 September with the kick-off at 15:30 CEST. Read on for information on ticket sales.
Show moreWerkself-TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04's 1-2 loss against TSG Hoffenheim on the 1st matchday of the Bundesliga 2025/26...
The 2025/26 Bundesliga season begins for the Werkself with a home game against Hoffenheim on Saturday. Here’s all you need to know ahead of the Matchday 1 fixture at the BayArena.
Show moreEdmond Tapsoba is one of the pillars of the Bayer 04 team. The defender is now in his seventh season with the Werkself and taking on a new role as a leader on and off the pitch. Talking to Werkself Magazine, the 26-year-old Burkina Faso international explains the increased demands placed on his position within the team, his role as a “big brother” and why the squad’s overhaul is an opportunity for him and the team.
Show more