The DFB is planning a review of its security for next summer’s European championship in France. Meanwhile, more details have emerged of how the team spent Friday night in their dressing room in the Stade du France.
One of the interim president’s of the DFB (German FA), Rainer Koch, was quoted in Monday’s edition of the mass-circulation daily “Bild”, as saying that the organization would be considering what further security precautions it could take in light of Friday’s terror attacks in Paris that killed at least 129 people.
“Security at the European championship will be a major challenge for the French,” Koch said.
The DFB’s head of security, Hendrik Grosse-Lefert told the “Frankfurter Allgemeine” newspaper that Friday’s attacks would have a major impact on planning for the German team ahead of next summer’s tournament. At the same time he warned that no matter what measures were implemented, they could never guarantee “100 percent security.”
Sleepless night in the dressing room
Meanwhile more details have emerged about how the German team and others spent Friday night crammed in their dressing room after the authorities deemed it too dangerous for them to leave.
At least two explosions had been audible in the stadium during the friendly against France, but according to Germany manager Oliver Bierhoff, the team only learned what had happened when they got back into the dressing room.
Boateng: ‘strange feeling’
Speaking to Germany’s “kicker” magazine, Jerome Boateng said he clearly heard the two explosions and looked around the crowd to see what was happening. “There was no smoke, nothing. I felt strange, because around midday we had had thebomb threat at our hotel.”
The defender said when he got back into the dressing room at half time, a quick look at his phone revealed what was going on. “Family and friends had written to me.” However, he said coach Joachim Löw did not mention the explosions during his halftime speech.
After the game though, members of the team were told they would have to remain in their dressing room for security reasons, and wound up spending the entire night in cramped quarters.
“Everybody was on the phone, I couldn’t sleep, there were too many thoughts in my head. Friends of mine were in the stadium, another friend was in the city, but they were safe,” Boateng said. “The friend of one of my friends lost his wife and sister. Then you realize how close it all is.”
“Bild” cited the other interim DFB president, Reinhard Rauball, as saying hardly anybody on the team or in the delegation was able to sleep.
“Many didn’t sleep, instead they talked all night, trying to come to grips with what had happened,” he said.
Unmarked vans to the airport
“Bild” also reported that the DFB had spread the word that the team had left the stadium at just after 2 a.m. on Saturday, but that this was disinformation spread as a security precaution. They actually didn’t leave for the airport and their flight back to Frankfurt until 7 a.m. – in unmarked vans.
The team were then allowed to return home for a couple of days, before converging on Hanover on Monday, for Tuesday evening’s friendly against the Netherlands, which is to go ahead as scheduled.
