Manuel Baum is the new head coach at FC Augsburg. Photo: Stefan Puchner
(Photo: dpa)
Augsburg The Bundesliga soccer club announced the career leap of the 37-year-old, who has a long-term contract with the Fuggerstadt team. At least until the end of the season, Baum, who had successfully campaigned for himself with four points from two Bundesliga games after the separation from Dirk Schuster, will be available as an assistant to Alexander Frankenberger.
Ten days before Christmas, FCA surprisingly parted ways with Schuster and then made Baum, who was the head coach of the Augsburg youth team, interim coach. The 37-year-old will start training again on January 3 with the twelfth place in the table and then prepare the team for the first time as boss for a semi-series at the training camp in Marbella from January 4 to 13.
“We are convinced that Manuel Baum is the right coach to implement and further develop the philosophy of FC Augsburg in the interests of the club,” said manager Stefan Reuter. “Therefore we want to work together with Manuel Baum in the long term. He doesn’t need any settling-in period for the position of head coach because he has been working for FCA for two and a half years and has successfully implemented the FCA philosophy in the youth team.”
Reuter referred to Baum’s successful application games before the winter break. “Even in the first few days as head coach, he prepared the team very meticulously and well in the games against Mönchengladbach and Dortmund,” explained the manager.
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Bundesliga novice Baum is looking forward to the challenge with great confidence. “I am very happy about the confidence of the FCA officials. Working with the team in the few days before the winter break was very intense, but I really enjoyed it. So I’m looking forward to continuing this work together as head coach,” he said.
A decision could be expected before the turn of the year. Reuter had repeatedly emphasized that he should not be put under pressure when it came to coaching. But Baum’s work left a lasting impact on the club’s leadership.
Baum had revealed his soft spot for the post of head coach at the latest after the 1-1 draw at the end of the first series against runners-up Borussia Dortmund. “Of course it’s interesting to continue the job and I would really like that,” assured Baum after the 16th matchday.
Baum has given the FCA game some of the ingredients that the club management saw worryingly dwindling under the more defensively oriented Schuster. Above all, this affects the factors of self-determination and offensive spirit. Among others, defender Martin Hinteregger spoke out for Baum: “The players wouldn’t mind if he stayed our coach.” Neither does the club management.
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Schedule FC Augsburg
Squad FC Augsburg
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