A power struggle is raging at FC St.Gallen. Influential circles in the shareholder base want to fill the Board of Directors with their own people. But President Matthias Hüppi and the St.Gallen region are fighting back.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- At FC St.Gallen, a power struggle between parts of the shareholder base and the management around President Matthias Hüppi escalated after the cup victory.
- The background to this are plans to restructure the Board of Directors and appoint people with close ties to the shareholders.
- Hüppi makes the conflict public, whereupon fans and politicians take a united stance against the planned change of course.
- Now there are many indications that the shareholders could row back. The club will be holding a media conference on Wednesday at 11.00 am.
Since the cup win on Sunday, there has been sheer chaos in St.Gallen. First on the streets of the city center, then in the FCSG management and since Tuesday they have all thrown their hats into the ring: the cantonal government, the city council and even the Swiss People's Party have had their say.
The big sticking point: Is the leadership around FCSG president Matthias Hüppi leaving the club?
Chapter 1: The silent upheaval
Everything is actually running like clockwork at FC St.Gallen. A full house, attractive football, fans and accountants are delighted. A model club in a class of its own and what else have we heard? But some of the shareholders could obviously be even happier. Patrick Thoma, a major shareholder, will be appointed to the Board of Directors in the fall. The reasons are vague, involving "long-term risks" and other such terms. As is so often the case, "money", "success" and "more" are probably not very far off the mark.
President Matthias Hüppi doesn't like this, it's an open secret. His position is clear: shareholders and the Board of Directors should not be mixed up. But it has happened. And the next step will follow in March. Patrick Gründler and Benedikt Würth, two members of the Board of Directors, were informed internally that they were no longer wanted.
But the board sticks together. With the exception of Thoma, they all want to resign. But not without a fight. And Hüppi, like the media connoisseur that he is, takes this to the public during the greatest moment of his term of office, the Cup victory in Bern on Sunday.
Chapter 2: A region rehearses the uprising
"There are currently tendencies that we will not accept in this form. It is inconceivable that not everyone is behind us in the best phase of this club," says Hüppi into the SRF microphone. Apparently this information was already circulating among the fans at the time. The Kurve presents a banner in support of the current board of directors and also speaks out uncompromisingly in favor of Hüppi and Co. in a statement.
An avalanche of protest is unleashed in the summer heat of eastern Switzerland. The "St. Galler Tagblatt" proclaims a "coup" and quickly reveals that a comprehensive restructuring of the board of directors is planned. The successors to those loyal to Hüppi have already been chosen. On Tuesday, the resignation of the Chairman is also announced. His replacement: Stefan Kölliker, a former member of the cantonal government. In a "final rescue attempt", Hüppi is trying to convince the shareholders to change course, writes the newspaper.
When the extent of the personnel changes leaked to the public, Eastern Switzerland rehearsed a rebellion - shareholder rights or not. An online petition gathered tens of thousands of signatures within a few turns of the hand, the comment columns of numerous platforms were ablaze and even politicians got involved. The cantonal government and city council issued communiqués warning against a change of course. The SVP, with which many of the "putschists" are associated, is forced to distance itself in a public statement.
And then the mood shifted. According to the "Tagblatt" newspaper, some of those involved are said to have received temporary police protection due to massive hostility. Things threaten to get out of hand. In the end, the FCSG publishes a press release and invites people to a big press conference on Wednesday.
Chapter 3: The failed coup?
Everything is now to be clarified there. Hüppi was quoted by the club on Tuesday evening as saying that they were working hard with the shareholders to find a "viable and good solution". "I will do everything I can to ensure that we can continue on our path in a constructive spirit and climate and with the highest level of mutual trust."
It seems as if his "last attempt to save the club" has been crowned with success and the battle has been won. The "St. Galler Tagblatt" assumes so. Especially as there was reportedly disagreement among the major shareholders anyway.
It should be known from 11.00 a.m. whether the shareholders will actually back down.
