It starts again at 1. FC Cologne. The Bundesliga club, which was in serious relegation trouble, resumed training on Tuesday (January 2, 2024). André Pawlak (52) initially holds the scepter in his hand.
The previous assistant coach of Steffen Baumgart (51) will lead the training until those responsible around Christian Keller (45) have found a new coach. Because now everything points to an external solution. Keller assured on Tuesday: “We spent the days intensively looking for a candidate.”
1. FC Köln has several coaching candidates
The internal solution discussed in the meantime with Pawlak and U21 coach Evangelos Sbonias (41) is said to be largely off the table. Accordingly, “Laki” should continue to look after the reserves and Pawlak – unlike Baumgart tension man René Wagner (35) – should be part of the new coach’s staff.
Keller said about the external candidates traded: “Many names were played, I don’t want to comment on a single one of them.” The race to succeed Steffen Baumgart is therefore still completely open. The selection process is in full swing and the number of candidates has reduced significantly in the last few days. “I assume that we will make a decision in the next few days,” said Keller on Tuesday.
When making the pre-selection, Keller and Co. relied less on (big) names or successes, but rather proceeded analytically and data-based. Keller about the ongoing search: “For me, thoroughness is more important than speed.”
In this way, the sports boss conjured up the previously completely unknown Sbonias for the U21s in the summer. And there is also a surprising solution for the head coach position. The one from the “Kölnische RundschauMatthias Kohler (32) is also a candidate, as is Thomas Stamm (40).
On paper, both no-names with recent manageable success. Kohler had to leave in December after unrest at the Dutch club FC Volendam with a meager points average of 0.57, Stamm is currently ranked last in the 3rd league with SC Freiburg II (0.46 points per game). Last season, however, he led the second representation to a strong second place.
Is Baumgart’s successor coming to Cologne from abroad?
With Bo Henriksen (48) and Florian Kohfeldt (41), two other coaches have brought themselves into the game. While the Dane from FC Zurich wants to take the next step in one of the top 5 leagues, Kohfeldt – currently coach at Belgian first division club AS Eupen – definitely wants to return to the Bundesliga.
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Christian Ilzer (46) also apparently expressed interest in the Cologne job. The Austrian was already under discussion at Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer as the successor to his compatriot Oliver Glasner. Ilzer reached the group stage of the Europa League four times in a row with Wolfsberg (2019) and Sturm Graz (2021-23) and was also ÖFB Cup winner last year. He now also wants to take the next step in his career and could imagine working at Geißbockheim.
The final assessment center is still pending, until then Pawlak will continue to lead the training. It is still unclear whether the new man will sit on the bench in the test on Saturday (January 6th, 2 p.m.) at Rot-Weiss Essen. “I don’t want to commit to an exact time,” emphasized Keller.
2024-01-02 13:13:51
#Coach #search #Köln #candidates #running
