Bundesliga soccer team VfL Wolfsburg has to look for a new sports director in the midst of a relegation battle. Marcel Schäfer is turning his back on the club and has been relieved of his duties with immediate effect. VfL announced this on Wednesday.
Apparently the 39-year-old is drawn to league rivals RB Leipzig. According to VfL, Schäfer informed the chairman of the supervisory board Frank Witter about his wish to change and asked to terminate his existing contract early. In view of all the circumstances, it was agreed that he would suspend his duties with immediate effect.
It is currently unclear who will take over the Aschaffenburg native’s duties in the future after the surprising separation. Sports director Sebastian Schindzielorz is now taking care of sporting matters in close collaboration with head coach Ralph Hasenhüttl.
Shepherd is an identification figure in Wolfsburg
A message eight lines long and without any further appreciation: nothing more remained of the long-standing bond between the Wolfsburg team and the ex-professional on Wednesday. Marcel Schäfer was at VfL for more than 15 years.
He played for the “Wolves” from 2007 to 2017 and is part of the championship team in 2009. In 2018 he returned to the Mittellandkanal as sports director – an identification figure for the club, with which he also won the cup in 2015.
The collaboration between Schäfer and Jörg Schmadtke has long been a success story. They took over the club after two near relegations and led it to the Champions League with coaches Bruno Labbadia and Oliver Glasner. At the same time, they reduced the immense personnel costs and built a young team with a high market value.
On February 1, 2023, Schäfer was promoted to managing director as Schmadtke’s successor. The corresponding position has no longer been filled at Leipzig since the separation from Max Eberl in September 2023. Rouven Schröder is employed by RB as sports director.
Moving to RB Leipzig would be a sporting advancement
Despite all his ties to VfL, a move to Leipzig would be a sporting advancement for the former national player Schäfer. RB occupies a Champions League place. The Wolfsburg team, on the other hand, have not yet been able to end their sporting crisis even after the coaching change from Niko Kovac to Hasenhüttl.
In general, things didn’t go as hoped for the Lower Saxony team with Schäfer as boss. There has not been the desired continuity in the coaching position since Glasner left Eintracht Frankfurt in 2021. Last season the “Wolves” missed out on international business and this season there is also a big gap between expectations and reality.
Last weekend, VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach lost 1:3 (1:0) despite being in the lead and is only five points ahead of relegation place 16 in the table and six points ahead of direct relegation.
In three days (Saturday, 3:30 p.m.) the Wolfsburg team will face a difficult away task. The opponent is then RB Leipzig of all people.
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Sports current | April 10, 2024 | 1:17 p.m
