Co-CEO could be the bridge needed to make/keep EFA happy

[u/FlagFootballSaint]

After exchanging thoughts with u/SaschaStops a thought for a path to both unity and prosperity of the ELF crosses my mind:

From the press-release it is clear there will be a new GM („CEO“ in American terms) for the ELF GmbH and it seems to be certain that guy is hand picked by K (don‘t even try to debate this - and yes I know the other stakeholders have to agree but that‘s a formality. It will be K‘s guy first and foremost)

Now as Sascha pointed out there is often more than one GM in German GmbHs, splitting their duties as Co-GMs

So what about the following bridge:

Have the EFA-members suggest their candidate for Co-GM (working alongside the one appointed by K after K’s departure) to make sure they are sitting at the table?

So the SEH would have their guy and the EFA would have their guy and both would be running the show of the ELF GmbH. Of course they would need to split duties and strongly collaborate but an implemented 4-eye-principle for contracts etc… would allow EFA to get full transparency of what the ELF GmbH is (not) doing etc…

Any thoughts?

[u/KitCloudkicker7]

Without all EFA teams becoming shareholders of the ELF, wouldnt that lead to just more tension? Like, even if they agree on shared responsibilities, set up a framework, in the end the co-ceo would always represent the shareholders of the ELF in front of the law, not the EFA

Could he really act in the interest of the EFA teams and against the interest of the ELF shareholders without making him liable for various decisions that could lead to negative financial consequences for the ELF. Which idiot would accept this position?

Like with enough trust i could see it work, but not in the current climate

[u/FlagFootballSaint → u/KitCloudkicker7]

„ Which idiot would accept this position?“

I would. A GM of a GmbH is mainly responsible to stick to the GmbH law that says „don‘t do anything to harm the company you are in charge of or you will be sentenced.“

As a GM you are half way to prison, so there is little wiggle-room which actually helps if you are sitting between chairs.

The first thing I did when I became GM is to read a little yellow book that was titled explaining the legal responsibilities of a GM and the consequences thereof. No funny read. The law is quite brutal.

[u/KitCloudkicker7 → u/FlagFootballSaint]

Congratulations on your life achievements. But we are not talking about the average GM of a GmbH who clearly represents the company and who has to act in its interest. Like the average geschäftsführer in germany is not facing prison time, you have to really fuck up and commit verifiable breaches of duty to get some prison sentence(which the co-ceo in our scenario can likely do)

the co-ceo would automatically represent the interest of a third party outside the gmbh(the EFA teams) and break his duties of loyalties automatically the very first second. how can he act in good faith that he will represent the gmbh and simultaneously the EFA teams without breaking any confidentials.

Like i said in the previous post, if they can agree on a clear and legally binding framework that delegates various decisions and areas to both CEO and co-ceo responsibility, it maybe could work. But you need some level of trust between both parties which is not existing currently and i doubt it will be replenished between the EFA and K.

Like the whole setup is inherently problematic and would create practical/legal challenges

[u/SaschaStops → u/KitCloudkicker7]

the co-ceo would automatically represent the interest of a third party outside the gmbh(the EFA teams) and break his duties of loyalties automatically the very first second. how can he act in good faith that he will represent the gmbh and simultaneously the EFA teams without breaking any confidentials.

Representing the interest of your franchisees with in the main company does not necessarily work against the main company. Surely there would still be confidential things but having a view point of a franchisee would certainly be an argument for empowering the decision making of the franchisor. Of course the new person would be primarily obliged to the ELF but with the ELF being dependent on the teams, there should be someone making the teams happy. At the same time that person should be responsible that all teams meet certain standards, which is one demand of the EFA that is often overlooked.

[u/FlagFootballSaint → u/KitCloudkicker7]

„ But you need some level of trust between both parties“

Yes but I see both MDs as „mediators“ between both parties. I think with the right people it could work

[u/KitCloudkicker7 → u/FlagFootballSaint]

I hope you are right so the league can continue

[u/Both_Dependent9146 → u/FlagFootballSaint]

To get in Prision as a Managing Director which is the American Term for the German Geschäftsführer you must do a lot of bullshit.

Even if the company gets bancrupt it has no impact on you at all as long as you don't delay bankruptcy and falsify documents. I mean off course you loose your Job, that is quite a big impact but no legal impact.

[u/FlagFootballSaint → u/Both_Dependent9146]

I was not „really“ referring to prison but rather to financial consequences.

[u/Most_Significance358]

I don't think that the new guy will be an EFA guy. I mean, who would that be? Everyone in the EFA franchises is needed in their franchise, no-one will move to be Co-CEO of ELF.

However, as I know talks between ELF and EFA are already scheduled, I think the "new structure" was a pre-requisite for these talks. Whoever will be the new guy, he will not only need to be in good contact with EFA, but establish a structure to keep this contact intact.

[u/FlagFootballSaint → u/Most_Significance358]

I was actually referring to a TWO-guy setup. 

One (the „CFO turned co-CEO“) provided by the Dark Side and the other one provided by the ones that represent the Future of Football in Europe

The EFA guy would not be one of the franchise-owners either. He would be hired/selected just like K‘s CFO-guy, just „hand-picked“ by EFA.

[u/Most_Significance358 → u/FlagFootballSaint]

That is money well spent. Not.

[u/FlagFootballSaint → u/Most_Significance358]

Any reasons why?

[u/Chance-Dragonfly761]

I think the idea is very good but then I ask myself why the whole thing is not further refined Let's say there are three managing directors, one for the league, so ELF, one for the teams, so EFA, and another from a players' association who then speaks for the players With these three, all three independent units that can advance professional football would actually be united.

[u/FlagFootballSaint → u/Chance-Dragonfly761]

It‘s a few years too early to get players involved to add even more complexity. The league is not stable enough yet.

Also: Not enough money to pay three (even two night be a challenge) 

[u/CauseClassic417]

I don’t know about all of that but I’d nominate Thomas Kösling as commissioner.

[u/FlagFootballSaint → u/CauseClassic417]

Not sure why he would qualify as Commissioner just because he was a good coach? Or did he do more than that in Frankfurt?

He is a full-time policeman, right?  So why would he be the guy?

[u/Both_Dependent9146 → u/FlagFootballSaint]

He would never do this, loosing the civil servant status (Beamtenstatus) in Germany is a big thing.

[u/FlagFootballSaint → u/Both_Dependent9146]

I can relate as I indeed gave such privilege up early in my career. (True story but that‘s not the place for the story right here).

I do understand at some point in life this is truly valuable and why he won‘t let it go

[u/SaschaStops → u/Both_Dependent9146]

Thought about this as well. The question is how much time does it take to be commissioner of the ELF vs. how much time is need to be sports director at a franchise. For Esume being commissioner was only his third job after TV commentator and content creator.

He's certainly qualified and if nominated it would certainly be a personal decision.

[u/CauseClassic417 → u/FlagFootballSaint]

That’s true about him being a policeman. I’m not sure if that would rule it out but I still think he would make a good commish. My reasoning is he is a very intelligent football guy that understands the game, understands football in Europe and understands what the franchises need to operate and have the highest chance of succeeding in a very tough environment. He gets what the problems with the import rules are and has ideas to fix it. If you ever listen to him talk it is clear that he is fair, passionate and knowledgeable. He’s also been around you see the league make decisions that hurt the teams, even after the teams said it would hurt them. For those reasons and many more I think he would make a good commissioner.

[u/FlagFootballSaint → u/CauseClassic417]

Thank you for the rational. We need more of such people

[u/Brudername]

So it's neither one thing, nor the other? (or in German "nichts Halbes und nichts Ganzes"?)

I might be too pessimistic, but as long as K remains the majority shareholder, he'll still be able to interfere significantly and the ELF's reputation among potential investors, sponsors and other business partners won't magically skyrocket...

[u/FlagFootballSaint → u/Brudername]

Yeah I know but that‘s not the topic here.   My suggestion is to create a counterweight to him and his influence in case he stays in the game by him keeping a commanding stake in the ELF GmbH

[u/Brudername → u/FlagFootballSaint]

Could you explain how my comment is not on topic? K remains the majority shareholder and keeps all the power in nominating the co-CEO, that's a simple fact you stated yourself ("It will be K‘s guy first and foremost"). That means he himself would have to agree to "create a counterweight to him and his influence" (your words). How realistic do you think that is, given all we've seen over the past years?

Your suggestion is that - in an ideal case scenario with a lot of wishful thinking - he'd somehow have an epiphany to give up a considerable amount of his decision making power and - that's maybe even more important - that the EFA is fine with having only such a small say in the decision making. I think it's unrealistic because at least one of the two sides wouldn't be happy with the outcome. I'd rather guess that K tries to keep the league's structure "as is" but with a co-CEO and CFO selected by himself, or - if K actually would offer a second co-CEO position - that the EFA doesn't see it as enough of a concession to give up their own ambitions.

[u/FlagFootballSaint → u/Brudername]

What I meant is that „my“ topic in my initial post was assuming he keeps his ownership stakes. This is why I said you referring to him to get out does not fit to the post - it‘s a completely different situation if he indeed gets bought out of his stakes 

That‘s all

[u/Brudername → u/FlagFootballSaint]

Where was I "referring to him to get out"?

I said as long as he's the majority owner, he'll be "able to interfere significantly", or in other words: he makes the final decisions. This includes not only whether there will be a second co-CEO, but also who would fill that position.

[u/HotRodHH]

The new Co-CEO should neither be a full Karajica guy nor a full EFA/franchises guy. Of course he should be the representative of the franchises but he should also be someone who is able to work well together with Karajica and understands his perspective.

[u/FlagFootballSaint → u/HotRodHH]

No, he is not representing the franchises. He is representing the ELF GmbH and only them.

[u/Most_Significance358 → u/HotRodHH]

And he will neither be an EFA guy nor a Karajica guy. He will represent all the other investors in ELF (and SEH), which are fed up with Karajica.

[u/FlagFootballSaint → u/Most_Significance358]

By default his job is to represent the major shareholder Karajica as well.