The Scholl Story

If you watch German sports coverage over the past month or two....there's been this opera playing out.....which goes back to 2015.

There's a 'expert-coverage' former player who has a contract with ARD (public-TV channel One in Germany)....Mehmet Scholl.

Back in 2015, he was asked about doping in professional soccer in Germany....and his analysis and past observations were that it's simply not much to say or discuss.  He doesn't think it's much of a problem.

As a player, he put 18 years into the sport of soccer....retiring in 2007.  He's been a coach at two levels of soccer in the past decade, and probably has as much knowledge on the players and the sport, as anyone else in soccer.

The opera being played out?  ARD wants him to appear on their telecast, and they want to bring up doping in soccer.  The last time (about a month ago) that the TV coverage folks tried to get him into the topic.....he kinda left the studio and refused to engage on this one single topic.

ARD's position.....you work for them and if they want to chat on this topic....you need to cooperate and talk on this.  Scholl's position?  It's non-existent.....so it's a worthless topic to discuss.

About a month from now....toward 14 August....there's a game anticipated to be covered and Scholl would normally be there to talk over the game and players. ARD?  They want him there and to chat on drug usage as well.

It's an interesting dilemma because he's the hired-expert and the network wants him to spill some blame on players and the league.  He seems to know little about this or doesn't believe it's much of a problem.  Can the network force him to take a position he believes that does not exist?  Fake sports news?  Well....you get the point.

One might get the impression that the network would like to take the sport down a notch and trigger some truth-commission via the Bundestag to see if there's doping in German soccer.

My advice to Scholl....give them what they want.  Talk about horse-urine types of speed enhancer, or a cherry-enema solution before each game, or sheep-liver pills to enhance recovery from falls.  Take this to the next level and make the network look as foolish as possible.  After the show, let ARD fire Scholl, and bring on the new guy.....to hype their favorite topic (doping in soccer).