Reinhard Grindel was elected president of the German Football Federation (DFB) in April 2016 because of his reputation as a crisis manager.
He was brought in with the body on its knees over allegations Germany bought the right to host the 2006 World Cup. He steadied the ship but Mesut Oezil's decision to retire from the Germany team and directly accuse Grindel of racism has left the 56-year-old exposed.
A poll on t.online.de on Tuesday showed a majority of respondents thought Grindel should resign.
A politician for Germany's Christian Democrats (CDU), Grindel replaced former DFB president Wolfgang Niersbach, who resigned in the wake of the scandal emerging over the 2006 World Cup. Grindel managed to partly restore the DFB's reputation and ensured a fresh start.
But the 2006 affair is not yet over. A prosecutor told dpa last month that the DFB faces a major fine if three of its former top officials are found guilty of tax evasion in connection with the scandal.
Grindel is also under pressure because of Germany's dismal showing in the 2018 World Cup, the defending champions crashing out in the opening group stage for the first time.
Just days before the tournament, he had handed coach Joachim Loew an extended contract until 2022, making it largely impossible to sack him after the debacle in Russia.
Loew did not resign and now Grindel must hope the coach can rediscover his mojo for the 2020 European Championship.
Grindel is also hoping Germany win the right to host the 2024 Euros, with a decision due in September. Germany's opponents? Turkey.
But the biggest issue now facing Grindel is the fall-out from the Oezil affair. Grindel immediately criticized the Germany player with Turkish roots after he was photographed with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the run-up to the World Cup.
Oezil quit the Germany team on Sunday because of a media backlash and accused Grindel of racism.
"When I attempted to explain to Grindel my heritage, ancestry and therefore reasoning behind the photo, he was far more interested in speaking about his own political views and belittling my opinion," Oezil's statement said.
"I will no longer stand for being a scapegoat for his incompetence and inability to do his job properly."
Grindel had failed to nip the affair in the bud by stating on July 8 in an interview with kicker magazine that "it is very clear to me that Mesut, when he comes back from holiday, should make a public statement which is also in his own interest."
Grindel also allowed DFB director and Germany team manager Oliver Bierhoff to single out Oezil for criticism after the World Cup exit.
He has been slammed for his handling of the affair. German Football League president Reinhard Rauball warned early on that the topic had been underestimated by the DFB and worried about possible "permanent damage."
Bayern Munich chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge also felt it had been a public relations disaster.
"I just do not see a clear professional handling of crisis management at the moment. It does not surprise me, however, because the DFB is actually only stocked with amateurs," he said.
The Green Party has demanded Grindel's resignation, but the German media have still largely focused on Oezil and have not joined the chorus for Grindel to go.
But any crisis manager knows to expect the unexpected.