The family of former Bundesliga head coach Christoph Daum have confirmed that he has passed away at the age of 70 after a long battle with illness.
Daum made his name as a Bundesliga head coach, first with 1.FC Köln whom he led to back-to-back runners-up finishes in the Bundesliga in his first senior job as head coach. Daum would then go one better with VfB Stuttgart winning the Bundesliga in dramatic fashion in 1992.
After a successful spell in Turkey with Besiktas, Daum returned to Germany to manage Bayer Leverkusen who finished runners-up three times under his tutelage. The Zwickau native would then return to Turkey with Fenerbahce where he won the Super Lig two more times. Daum would come back home on two more occasions with Köln and then Eintracht Frankfurt but both were unsuccessful.
Daum was a character. He has famously walked on glass in front of his players whilst also making them do the same. While manager of Köln he famously had a spat with Bayern head honcho Uli Hoeneß on live TV, days before a title decider between the two teams.
This rivalry with Hoeneß would also result in what to some people Daum was made most famous for. When Daum was set to be appointed as the German national team head coach after EURO 2000, Hoeneß made a comment referring to potential cocaine use by the head coach. Daum would protest his innocence and push for his hair to be tested for this alleged cocaine use. The test came back positive and Daum would not only lose his job as Bayer Leverkusen’s head coach but would not be appointed Germany’s manager.
GGFN | Jack Meenan
