DFB gives Stefan Kuntz approval for Turkey
Stand: 13:58
Thumbs up, the way is clear: The DFB gave U21 coach Stefan Kuntz the clearance for a change on Friday
Source: pa / dpa / Armin Weigel
Stefan Kuntz is the most successful U21 coach in DFB history. Now he wants to turn his back on Germany to train the Turkish national team. The association gives the coach approval.
WITHAt the beginning of the week, pictures of him appeared showing him at an airport. Stefan Kuntz, it was said, was on his way to Turkey to negotiate with the football association about becoming a national coach. Kuntz confirmed the request. On Friday the German Football Association (DFB) paved the way for him for a new job.
In a video conference, the executive committee of the DFB decided unanimously to dismiss Kuntz from his current contract, should he agree on a cooperation with the Turkish association. “Due to Stefan Kuntz’s successes with the German U21 national team and his special relationship with Turkey, the DFB does not want to obstruct this next step in his career,” said the association.
“Release an expression of friendship”
Kuntz is to succeed Senol Günes, who was dismissed last week, in Turkey. With this, the association reacted to the most recent failures. Turkey lost 6-1 to the Netherlands in qualifying for the World Cup. Before that, the European Championships had been disappointing for the third place in the 2002 World Cup: After three defeats against eventual European champions Italy, Wales and Switzerland, the team under Günes had already failed in the preliminary round. “The possibility of sharing is also an expression of the friendship between German and Turkish football,” wrote the DFB.
Kuntz is the most successful U21 coach in DFB history. After two European Championship titles and a total of three finals with Germany’s top juniors, he left his future open beyond the end of the year. After moving months and the early Olympic exit of the German U23s supervised by Kuntz, there has been speculation for weeks about the future of the 58-year-old, who had meanwhile also been traded as a candidate for the national coaching post, now held by Hansi Flick.
Kuntz had signed with the DFB until 2023. The European champion from 1996 was once active as a professional in Turkey. In the 1995/96 season he ran for Besiktas Istanbul. In the European Championship qualification, the German U21s will continue against Israel on October 7th in Paderborn – most likely without Kuntz. It has not yet been decided who will take over his office.
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