Hoeness succeeds Beckenbauer to become Bayern's president
Hoeness succeeds Beckenbauer to become Bayern's president
13:13, November 28, 2009 
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Uli Hoeness on Friday was elected to succeed Franz Beckenbauer to become the new president of German soccer giant club FC Bayern Munich.
The 57-year-old was elected to the office vacated by Beckenbauer after a 15-year term in the job by an overwhelming majority of more than 99 percent, with 4,458 of the 4,490 votes in favor at the club's annual general meeting in Munich.
"I'm totally overwhelmed," commented Hoeness.
"I promise I'll do everything in my power to put Bayern back where we all feel the club should be in sporting terms," he added.
Hoeness, a former Bayern player in the 1970s who also won the 1972 European championship and 1974 World Cup with Germany, has served as the club manager for 30 years.
Beckenbauer, captain of the hugely successful Bayern and Germany teams in the 1970s and who also coached Germany to their 1990 World Cup victory, becomes honorary president in a move announced a year ago.
Hoeness joined Bayern as a gifted 18-year-old attacking midfielder and in a hugely successful eight-year spell won every single major title for club and country, including three German championships and three European Cups.
When he took over as manager in 1979, the Bavarian club was in debt.
Hoeness has steered Bayern to unprecedented financial growth and has seen them crowned German champions 16 times since 1979. They also won the 2001 Champions League.
Hoeness helped engineer the club's successful sponsorship and marketing plans as well as the construction of their 69,000-capacity Allianz Arena, which belongs to Bayern.
Hoeness has been replaced on the Bayern bench this season by Christian Nerlinger, who took over as sports director.
Source: Xinhua
The 57-year-old was elected to the office vacated by Beckenbauer after a 15-year term in the job by an overwhelming majority of more than 99 percent, with 4,458 of the 4,490 votes in favor at the club's annual general meeting in Munich.
"I'm totally overwhelmed," commented Hoeness.
"I promise I'll do everything in my power to put Bayern back where we all feel the club should be in sporting terms," he added.
Hoeness, a former Bayern player in the 1970s who also won the 1972 European championship and 1974 World Cup with Germany, has served as the club manager for 30 years.
Beckenbauer, captain of the hugely successful Bayern and Germany teams in the 1970s and who also coached Germany to their 1990 World Cup victory, becomes honorary president in a move announced a year ago.
Hoeness joined Bayern as a gifted 18-year-old attacking midfielder and in a hugely successful eight-year spell won every single major title for club and country, including three German championships and three European Cups.
When he took over as manager in 1979, the Bavarian club was in debt.
Hoeness has steered Bayern to unprecedented financial growth and has seen them crowned German champions 16 times since 1979. They also won the 2001 Champions League.
Hoeness helped engineer the club's successful sponsorship and marketing plans as well as the construction of their 69,000-capacity Allianz Arena, which belongs to Bayern.
Hoeness has been replaced on the Bayern bench this season by Christian Nerlinger, who took over as sports director.
Source: Xinhua
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