EPathetic expert and fan of offensive football: Trainer Florian Kohfeldt is supposed to give VfL Wolfsburg a boost and lead the troubled Bundesliga club back into international business. On Tuesday, the Wolfsburg announced the commitment of the 39-year-old coach, who will receive a contract with Lower Saxony until 2023. “Sport Bild” and “Bild” had previously reported on the agreement between the former Bremen coach and the club.
“We are happy that we were able to reach an agreement with Florian Kohfeldt and are convinced that he can identify with our path and that we will get back on the road to success together with him,” said VfL sports director Marcel Schäfer according to the club’s announcement.
Kohfeldt had been released from Werder Bremen before the last matchday of last season and has not taken on another job in professional football since then. “I didn’t have to think twice about accepting this challenge,” said the Siegen native. “It’s an exciting job that I’m really looking forward to. I’m going to use the short time until the next game to have a lot of conversations and get a first overview. ”On Thursday, Kohfeldt is to lead training at the Volkswagen Club for the first time. Two days later, the away game at Bayer Leverkusen is on.
At Werder Bremen, Kohfeldt was promoted to head coach in November 2017. Before that, he had worked for the North German team as a youth trainer and assistant. In his first season he saved Werder from relegation, in the following season Kohfeldt narrowly missed the international places with the green-whites. He was named Trainer of the Year 2018 by the Association of German Football Teachers.
The positive development did not continue in Bremen, however. In 2019/20, the North Germans only secured their place in the Bundesliga in the relegation. After the 33rd matchday of last season, when Werder was in 16th place in the table, Kohfeldt had to leave. Shortly afterwards, the people of Bremen dismounted.
Unlike the last time at Werder, he has good opportunities with the promising Wolfsburg squad to play his favored attack-oriented style. In addition, Kohfeldt has a reputation for being good at dealing with young players. “There is a lot of quality and dynamism in this team and we will now work together to bring it back onto the pitch,” he said.
Wolfsburg broke up with coach Mark van Bommel last Sunday. The day before, the team had lost 2-0 to SC Freiburg and had to accept the fourth Bundesliga defeat in a row. Wolfsburg did not win eight competitive games in a row. VfL is in ninth place in the table. The Dutchman van Bommel only took over the coaching position from Oliver Glasner in the summer. Since the separation, van Bommel’s co-trainer Michael Frontzeck has been looking after the team on a transitional basis.
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