Michael Preetz: goal scorer in the middle of a storm of abuse. The Düsseldorf-born former Fortuna forward, who scored 20 goals in 88 league matches between 1986 and 1990, tried in 2012 to stop his old club’s promotion through the courts after the relegation playoff. Even after the DFB rejected Hertha’s request for a replay of the chaotic second leg on 21 May 2012, sporting director Preetz and Hertha went to the DFB Federal Court – and crashed out badly.
It did not help that Berlin coach Otto Rehhagel resorted to embarrassing Second World War comparisons. Fortuna fans were boiling. Social media comments calling Preetz everything from a sore loser to an outright idiot followed.
Social media makes people brave.