Klose, Frings and Lehmann to go on strike ?

[Sam]

Well, Klose, Frings and Lehmann have issued a statement saying they're going to boycott Germany's game against Sweden if they're not allowed to...play in their Nike boots instead of the Adidas ones.
Adidas is the official partner of the German FA while those 3 players have individual contracts with Nike.
This conflict is going on for a couple of years now, players who refused to wear Adidas boots had to tape the logos on their boots once :D

Source in German
http://www.spiegel.de/sport/fussball/0,1518,431784,00.html

[Sataris]

if they know they have contractual obligations to adidas (through the FA) why did they sign the individual (and conflicting) contract with nike?

their professional footballers who should know how to deal with their sponsor responsibilities

their not kids ffs

[jr!]

I think the German FA though is one of the only teams that specifies NT players must wear the sponsor's equipment. I imagine that is because Adidas are a German company & have been sponsoring the NT for decades & will continue to do so for decades.

[Sataris]

partially

50+years its been adidas

also the founder of adidas was the 54' squad's kit manager

with his revolutionary football boots with interchangable studs :p

[sweed]

with his revolutionary football boots with interchangable studs :p

hey they brought home a winner! i cant complain :)

[jr!]

Is there anything else on this story?
I read on soccernet that Lehmann had really sore feet from wearing Adidas during the World Cup (good to see I'm not the only one who had to change to Nike from Adidas 'coz they hurt) & Arsenal were less than amused about that.

[mambo]

The story is over.
Team-manager Bierhoff convinced the DFB president(s) to agree that this was the last match in adidas-duty :D

[chauchey]

For a NT, I think it comes down to comfort, and I believe that the players should have final say as to what they wear. If adidas are going to make them wear their boots, why not spend the time to make sure you accually have the fit right, and the model right, so that their feet dont hurt?! It would be fantastic press for them.

[Sataris]

Their already doing that here with Aussie Rules

you go in and they measure the shape of your foot and craft the boot to match

[chauchey]

I dont dout that all pro athletes have that amount of catering to them. I know they do the same for pro hockey(not nearly as large a sport as football). It makes you wonder if those three are just saying that because of pressure from nike. :confused:

[moymatt]

I think the NT should be able to dictate what the players wear, but if they're gonna be so stupid as to make a player wear a certain shoe when a better, more comfortable shoe is available or potentially risk the player not playing due to a boycott, well then, that's their choice(albeit a ridiculous one).

[chauchey]

while i believe that jerseys and socks(kits basically) should be done by whomever the NT decideds, I think 2 pieces that should be decided by the player are the goalie gloves, and the boots.

[ugh]

btw, the situation has been solved.

Adidas got a longer contract with the German National Team, but Players can now decide to wear any shoes they want. (Also Goalkeepers gloves).

It is rumoured that the shoe-cleaner of the NT, who is paid by Adidas, is now
refusing to clean the Nike-shoes of some players :D

[Sataris]

is the shoe cleaner's name

Adi Dassler?

:p