A former Manchester City player has opened about his financial troubles as he awaits to spend two years and two months in prison.
Ex-goalkeeper Eike Immel is bound for prison after being found guilty in relation to 107 cases of fraud in August by a district court in Marburg, Germany.
According to reports from German outlet Bild, the majority of the cases centred around him borrowing money and not returning it with the figure owed reportedly £29,775. He also sold tickets to a European Championship game, keeping the money but failing to deliver the tickets.
At the time a statement was made on behalf of Immel by his defence attorney that read: ‘Mr. Immel is deeply ashamed of what is being discussed here in the courtroom today.
‘He lives hand to mouth. This fact has been publicly known for years.
‘[He is] not a professional fraudster, but a failed former footballer.’
Ex-Manchester City goalkeeper Eike Immel (left) is now awaiting to go to prison due to fraud
The 64-year-old is awaiting two years and two months in prison for after being guilty of 107 fraud cases
The German (pictured in 2019) has blown his £8.7million fortune and is now living on benefits
The 64-year-old played two City across the 1995-96 and 1996-97 seasons – retiring at the end of the latter.
He made 50 appearances for the club and during a career that was spent predominately in Germany with Borussia Dortmund (1978-1986) and then Stuttgart (1986-1995) he earned over £8.7million in career earnings.
However, he has since staggeringly lost all of his multi-millions with his world very different ahead of his impending time behind bars.
Currently, Immel is living off state benefits and staying in a council flat in his home town of Stadtallendorf, Germany.
He was declared bankrupt in 2008 and his family life torn apart as his wife and children left him amid concerns about the financial turmoil.
Now, the former West Germany international spends his time working as an unpaid goalkeeping coach to local youth teams.
And before he goes to prison, Immel has divulged how his life has gone this way in a German TV documentary.
Speaking to Armes Deutschland (Poor Germany), he said: ‘In the past I earned millions. But these days I live on £489-a-month.
Immel made 50 appearances at Manchester City across two seasons before retiring in 1997
‘The state supports the people who need help. I have to say that’s terrific.
‘I must have squandered at least €10m [£8.7m] during my career. I used to be highly sought-after.
‘I used to get the best tables in restaurants, and car dealers gave me huge discounts. I received benefits wherever I went.
‘My salaries grew bigger all the time, and when I moved to Manchester City I was on almost £1m a year.
‘The money would have been enough for me to live on for the rest of my life.
‘But I got divorced, and my children had to be looked after properly, so a big part of it went on that.
‘Then I made bad investments in property, and also gave away a lot of money. We never economised on anything.’
Immel is living off state benefits and staying in a council flat in his home town of Stadtallendorf
Last year, Immel delved into what his money used to be spent on and regretting his past actions – and how he sometimes he has to rely on loved ones as he could have just £2-a-month to live on after expenses at the time.
Speaking to German outlet Stat 1 in May 2024, he admitted: ‘Money wasn’t a concern for me in the past. I used to live the life of Riley.
‘Sometimes my mobile phone bill came to €10,000 [£9,000] a month. One Christmas I spent £25,000 on clothes for my new girlfriend.
‘I paid £1m for my home, but at one point the bailiffs were at my door.
‘The tax office said I owed them £800,000, and I was unable to pay it. I did things that any normal person would say can’t be true.
‘I hadn’t given enough thought to the future. Dealing with money is not one of my strengths.
‘It is a real battle to make ends meet. Sometimes I just have £2 left.
The furnishings in the flat have all been given to me, and a friend who runs a local restaurant lets me eat for free.
‘I am thankful for the help. But I wish it didn’t have to be this way.’
During his time at City, Immel has revealed that he would earn close to £1m-a-year in salary
The former goalkeeper (bottom row, centre left) won 19 international caps for West Germany
Immel’s fall from grace is in stark contrast to a successful career where he played 534 Bundesliga matches during his time combined at Borussia Dortmund and Stuttgart. While at the latter he won 1991-92 league title too.
He won 19 caps for West Germany and was in their squads for the 1982 and 1986 World Cups – where they finished runners-up. He was part of the squad that won the 1980 European Championship and was in the squad for the 1984 and 1988 editions too.
He retired from international football at the age of 28 after Euro 1988 and subsequently missed out on his country’s World Cup triumph two years later.
