Newsletter

Bayer’s handling of Seoane – remarkable as dangerous

Gerardo Seoane and Bayer 04 are in a deep crisis. The club has already prepared the coach’s successor should the worst come to the worst – and this has also been publicly communicated by managing director Fernando Carro. A disservice to the wobbly coach.

Under pressure: Gerardo Seoane.

IMAGO/Sven Simon

A commentary analysis by Stephan von Nocks

Fernando Carro does not know anyone who expected diplomatic statements in a one-two on “Sport 1” on Sunday. But it was surprising that the Leverkusen managing director would speak so openly about the future of coach Gerardo Seoane.

Not for the facts. Carro “only” said what is natural for industry insiders. Of course, the factory club has long since focused on the coaching market. Of course Bayer is “not unprepared”, as Carro put it, in case they decide to pull the ripcord.

Of course, Bayer, who last looked so bad 40 years ago, and the Swiss are in a serious crisis. If the club had no idea who should replace Seoane if the worst came to the worst, and if the implementation of this had not already been promoted to a certain extent, Carro and his managing director colleague Simon Rolfes would have to be fired. The example of Leipzig, where Marco Rose, his successor, was presented shortly after Domenico Tedesco was released, shows that this is how the business works.

New territory for Carro and Rolfes

And yet: In the industry, this public interaction with a trainer is not common. He’s also not skilful, as he focuses on Seoane alone. The professionals who showed no attitude in Munich remain in the background. Before the games in Porto and against Schalke this week, the alibi was delivered to them free of charge.

Such sentences would never have crossed the lips of a Rudi Völler, who had repeatedly experienced such situations. For Carro and Völler’s successor Rolfes, on the other hand, who is much more reserved, such a crisis situation in a club in her role as a decision-maker in the front row is just as new territory as it is for Seoane, who has only been in Lucerne, Bern and Leverkusen so far experienced the sunny side of coaching.

Holding on to the trainer is dangerous

As remarkable as Carro’s public dealings with Seoane are, so is the loyalty with which the emotional Spaniard and Rolfes cling to the Swiss. Its current record is disastrous after the previous season, which was convincing in all respects. The fact that Seoane still gets the chance to initiate the turnaround in Leverkusen is anything but a matter of course.

Sticking to the trainer also poses a danger to the bosses. If the turnaround does not succeed this week, the factory club will no longer have a realistic chance of qualifying for Europe after the cup end, let alone for the premier class that has been targeted.

A season without international competition would be out of the question for Bayer. Carro and Rolfes would then not only have a decisive part in it with their policy of the (too) steady hand. The question of the composition of the squad and too little fresh impetus in the form of additions will have to be asked anyway.

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Trending