Lack of money and football rage: that’s how much the craziest FCB fan suffers

He is currently suffering from it weekend after weekend. His FCB is in last place in the championship. Two weeks ago, coach Timo Schultz (46) was fired. «The situation makes me sad. It’s a disaster,” says Mangeney as he polishes his car. In 2002 he bought it for 5,000 francs. The “FCB-Mobil” now enjoys legendary status in northwestern Switzerland.

Signing ban for Alex Frei

The father of the family put tens of thousands of francs into his convertible. The club logo adorns the hood and the two seats. Even the gear lever is red and blue. “That’s my favorite,” Mangeney says with his wide grin between his teeth.

He then points to one of the signatures on the car. ‘Do you know who it is? David Degen, our overwhelmed president.” Next to it are the signatures of FCB legends Christian Giménez, Murat Yakin and Matias Delgado. Mangeney can no longer allocate more than half of them. “That’s a terrible scribble.”

The unloved Alex Frei also wanted to sign the cult car. “There’s nothing,” Mangeney said. “Only players from the 2004/05 season may immortalize themselves. That was the best FCB team of all time.”

The special case of Embolo

Mangeney made an exception. In the summer of 2014 he met the then Basel jewel Breel Embolo (26). He didn’t let him sign either, but said: “If you extend your contract, you can.”

A few months later, Embolo walked out of the fan shop, saw Mangeney and shouted: “I’ve extended.” He turned around, went back inside and came out with a pen. His signature has been on the rear wing ever since.

Pyroshock in the bend

The love story between Mangeney and FC Basel began in 1974. When he was seven, his father took him to the matches in the old St. Jakob Stadium, and when he was 15, Mangeney moved to the Muttenzerkurve. He only has a few memories. “I am old.” But he never forgets the first match.

‘It was enormous chaos. Flags, drums and loud shouts everywhere. Someone next to me set off fireworks.” Mangeney watched with fascination. “I ended up going home with a jacket full of holes.”

Bet on Whiskey Cola

For decades he accompanied us on every excursion. “I still plan my holiday today according to the FCB match calendar.” He has experienced a lot abroad. He especially remembers the “third half”: “After the games against GC, the two fan camps met on a meadow and hit each other on the head.”

Mangeney watched and gambled with ‘normal’ GC fans. “Our boys were often stronger and I won a whiskey and coke.”

The rarest t-shirt

He has two small FCB museums in his three-storey house in Kappel SO. One at the top and one in a glass room in the garden. Lighters, shoes, watches, a goose, all dressed in red and blue. He proudly points to a black T-shirt. “This is the ugliest but rarest sweater I have.”

It says “mastermind” and below that “Swiss Cup winner 2008”. There are only seven. Each board member received one. Mangeney begged former President Bernhard Heusler, 59, until he sent it to him in the mail.

No money for repairs

When he stands next to his car again, he makes a sad comparison. “My car embodies the current situation at FCB. He has construction sites everywhere.” The red-blue paint is peeling, there are holes in the seats and the engine often does not start. “I can’t afford a repair.”

Corona has hit Mangeney hard financially. “My cash reserves have been depleted.” He is looking for a job. He is currently saving wherever he can. But: “I will always somehow scrape together the 682 francs for an FCB season subscription.”

The FCB layer hit him particularly hard during this time. Although he says: “Beaters used to irritate me more. The next day I was in a bad mood.” Mangeney pauses for a moment. “But right now it’s exactly the same again.”

Frustration cigarettes and curse words

Nowadays he no longer watches home games from the corner, but from a sitting position. His place is on the center line, so he has an overview. “What I see there at the moment is unworthy of FCB!” He lost his temper during the 3-0 defeat against Stade-Lausanne-Ouchy last weekend. “Gopferdami, the boys need to have fun!” He smoked six frustration cigarettes in 90 minutes.

Next to him is his girlfriend Doris Lurati (57). “It’s tiring,” she says with a wink. It was only out of love that Lurati became an “FCB sympathizer,” as she emphasizes. She likes to provoke her boyfriend before the competitions. “They’ll lose anyway,” she teased. She is ahead of Mangeney in the internal guessing game. “It’s hard right now,” he sighs.

To Zurich or straight to the scrap heap

Whatever happens, he will continue to go to matches in his “FCB-Mobile”. “I will be a Basel fan until the day I die.” The only place he avoids in his car is Zurich. The two clubs have been at loggerheads for years. “Then I could take my car to the scrap yard.” First, his car was damaged. At a championship celebration for FC Basel. The entire page was scratched.

Currently there is a break in the competition and the footballers are playing in the national team. The next FCB match will take place this Saturday. At home against Servette. Mangeney gives trainer and sports director Heiko Vogel (47) an ultimatum: he lies on the couch and his fist flies on the table in front of him. “If he doesn’t perform in the coming matches, he has to go!” The fan soul in Basel is boiling.