"One of the first songs I put on was 'We are coming back' by Cock Sparrer."

An era is coming to an end for Fortuna Düsseldorf and its fans: Marcus Haefs, known as Opa, is stepping down as stadium DJ after twenty years. In all those years, one thing you could always rely on was that Opa did his thing. Although not all of the sometimes controversial DJ's actions were necessarily met with approval. How did Grandpa come to play music at Fortuna? He told us why he will soon be performing in Guadeloupe with his band Dead Dates and where he will be watching his EURO 2024 matches during an interview at TuRU 1880's Oberbilk stadium.

Marcus, we are currently guests of TuRU 1880. After Fortuna Düsseldorf, this is probably the second most important club in Düsseldorf. How important is soccer in your life?
Football is one of the most beautiful sports there is and has always been an important part of my life. Fortuna is close to my heart, but TuRU is my second club. I live just around the corner and when Fortuna's match schedule allows it, I like to go here on Sundays. Or I cycle to Lohausener SV, where I used to play myself.

You are known as a musician, but above all as the stadium DJ for Fortuna Düsseldorf. How did you come to take on this job?
The whole thing started 22 years ago. At the time, Fortuna was pretty much at the end of its tether and we tried to keep the club alive with various activities. At some point, the chairman of the second team approached me and asked if I would like to be the stadium announcer for the second team. I immediately said yes, turned it into quite a show and brought my music with me, which went down well with the spectators. When Dieter Bierbaum, the stadium announcer for the first team at the time, retired, his successor Ilja Ludenberg asked me if I would like to become the stadium DJ. Of course, I immediately agreed. Fortuna was in the Regionalliga Nord at the time. My first game was against the amateurs from Vfl Wolfsburg - a dreadful 0:0 in the pouring rain. One of the first songs I put on was "We are coming back" by Cock Sparrer - although it looked anything but a comeback at the time. (Laughs)

What is the special challenge you face as a stadium DJ?
The most important thing for me is that I play music with attitude. The range is wide, from pink to hip-hop to soul. I want to reach as many fans as possible, but you can't please everyone.

What makes you different from other stadium DJs in the Bundesliga?
Our DJ booth is right on the edge of the pitch so that we can hear and pick up fan chants immediately. We also don't play party tunes, but rather music with a Düsseldorf connection; that could be a carnival song, Die Toten Hosen or Broilers. We also support lesser-known regional bands, and of course I also play my own stuff from time to time. (Laughs)

You've been the stadium DJ at Fortuna Düsseldorf for twenty years now. Can you take a look back and share some of the highlights from that time with us?
It was always a highlight to have the right record in the record box - for example against Hertha BSC at the time: the fans started setting fire to the stadium, which led to the game being interrupted, for which the Fortuna fans were blamed. Without further ado, I played "We didn't start the fire" by Billy Joel, which caused a lot of laughter. The match against RB Leipzig is also legendary (see below for info) when I played "Kauf mich" by Die Hosen, "Money Money Money" by ABBA, "Ich find' dich scheiße" by Tic Tac Toe and, above all, Chopin's "Trauermarsch". Ralf Rangnick, coach of RB Leipzig, insulted me violently for the latter. I got mail from the DFL (German Football League) - and there was Europe-wide coverage.
Also unforgotten: After Borussia Dortmund were knocked out of the Champions League and I played the Champions League anthem to welcome Dortmund. Even Jürgen Klopp thought that was really good. He actually came up to me and said: "Chapeau! Not nice, but nice."

Were there any lowlights that you can tell us about?
Of course, there were also moments in the twenty years that weren't so nice. For example, when right-wing extremist fans tried to gain a foothold at Fortuna. Some of them attacked me at the main train station at one point - literally ambushed me and approached me directly. I was saved by fans from Borussia Mönchengladbach who happened to be standing nearby and immediately intervened. My parents received strange phone calls at the time, there were anonymous emails ... Fortunately, the whole scare only lasted two months, when everything slowly died down again.

Anyone who follows you on social media will notice that you still get a lot of backlash on Facebook, for example.
Yes, I do. People often accuse me of wanting to be in the public eye. But that was never my goal. Instead, I use the opportunity that my job as a stadium DJ gives me to convey a message. And if you do something like that, you unfortunately have to live with the consequences these days. The climate has become much harsher overall.

Are the abuse and the rough atmosphere the reason why you're stepping down as stadium DJ at the end of the season?
It's actually a conglomerate of many things. Like many other fans, I distanced myself a bit from professional soccer during the corona period. Some things have come to light that I didn't like so much. Another reason is that I can no longer surprise myself with funny ideas, because of course at some point in twenty years you start to repeat yourself. I'm also looking forward to being able to decide on a match day in future whether I'm going to the stadium - or not. The idea of rolling over in bed on a Saturday or Sunday morning is not wrong.

One thing is clear: when you retire, an era comes to an end for Fortuna Düsseldorf. How did Fortuna Düsseldorf react to your decision?
The reactions were very mixed. I don't think many of the people in charge really cared. Nevertheless, there were some who regretted my decision. Others, and I think that's absolutely fine, think it's good that I'm finally leaving. They thought they'd never get rid of me. (Laughs) Personally, I'm looking forward to finally just being a fan, meeting up with friends in the morning, having a beer and taking a leisurely bike ride to the stadium.

Speaking of watching soccer: The city is expecting the next big soccer event in the summer. Düsseldorf will be hosting some of the UEFA EURO 2024 matches. Will you be watching the tournament?
I think it's great that the EURO will also be held in Düsseldorf. It's a great occasion for people from all over the world to come to our city. But I definitely won't be going to the stadium. Nevertheless, if the weather is nice, I'll definitely watch one or two games with friends - either in the Rettematäng on Ratinger Straße or in the Blende on Bilker Allee.

We talked almost exclusively about soccer. You also have another passion, music.
Exactly, I have a band called Dead Dates. In May, we have a gig in Guadeloupe at the invitation of a punk band we're friends with there, the Bolokos. Incidentally, we will be the first German band to play there! It's a great adventure that we're really looking forward to.

And where else can people meet you in Düsseldorf?
For a beer with friends, you can find me at Pitcher or Konvex. Before that, I go for a meal at Scaramangas, just opposite. For coffee, I go to Musame on Fürstenplatz. I like to go to concerts in the courtyard.

You also love cycling. Where do you go when you go on a bike tour?
Actually, I usually just go for a ride. The great thing is: I'm a Düsseldorfer through and through and always thought that I knew 98 percent of the city - but then you take a different turn and suddenly discover beautiful corners that you've never been to before.

Finally, please give me your prediction: Who will be European champions in 2024?
I really wouldn't begrudge it to the English. I'm known to be very Anglophile and they really deserve it!

Info
RB Leipzig was the first club in Germany to be founded primarily for marketing purposes, financed by Red Bull. Red Bull had previously failed in its attempts to take over traditional German clubs, including Fortuna Düsseldorf, partly due to the required name change. Red Bull eventually took over the license of SSV Markranstädt in the Oberliga, bypassing the DFB licensing procedure and changing the name and crest. Thanks to a rapid series of promotions, RB Leipzig now plays in the Bundesliga as well as regularly in the Champions League. This process met with criticism from many German soccer fans and led to strong disapproval.

Interview: Katja Vaders
Photos: Kristina Fendesack
Many thanks to TuRu 1880 for allowing us to conduct the interview.

News & tips about UEFA EURO 2024 can be found here.