The German media describe Klaus-Michael Kühne as an investor in Hamburg, which is probably inaccurate. Investing would mean there’s some hope of Kühne getting a return on his money, and that doesn’t seem to be the case.
Having saved HSV from the financial wolves repeatedly, and ploughed around €60m of his own money in, there’s little chance of Kühne ever getting that back, or being universally loved for it.
Even before Kühne’s recent comments on Pierre-Michel Lasogga, in which the Leeds United striker was described as the ‘flop of the century’, there was a very uneasy relationship between the money man the club he clearly loves.
As he repeatedly has been, Kühne was slammed for being so outspoken and negative, especially when HSV were still trying to build a deal with Leeds for Lasogga. It wasn’t exactly great PR for the player and the effort to send him to Elland Road.
Whilst his comments were over the top, Kühne’s frustration is easy to understand, he can’t simply be expected to plough so much money in and not have strong opinions.
Now it’s the end of the money, according to Kühne. Bild report the businessman has had enough of the ever increasing finances in football, there’s quotes from Kühne to back it up.
HSV have informed the German newspaper that Kühne hasn’t told them that, creating another drama the 80 year old benefactor can probably do without.
Perhaps the backlash over Kühne’s Lasogga comments was the final straw, especially given those comments have been thrown back at him repeatedly in the German media since the striker’s great Leeds United start.
