VfL Bochum has parted ways with coach Thomas Letsch. The relegation-threatened Bundesliga club from the Ruhr area announced this on Monday. “In our current situation, we no longer have the conviction that we can make it in the current constellation,” commented sports director Patrick Fabian. Recently there was a worrying negative trend at VfL. VfL wants to provide information about the new coaching position as soon as possible.
Bochum actually seemed to have already been saved after a 3-2 win against FC Bayern Munich on matchday 22. In mid-February, the lead over the relegation place was already a comfortable nine points. Bochum was closer to the international ranks than to the second Bundesliga. However, a subsequent series with just one point from six games caused the worries to grow from week to week.
Kuntz or Stöger?
One candidate to succeed Letsch is said to be former U-21 national coach Stefan Kuntz. The 61-year-old played for VfL from 1983 to 1986 and 1998/99. From 2006 to 2008 he was manager of the Revierklub and was most recently employed as the national coach of Türkiye. In addition, the Revierklub is said to have negotiated with Peter Stöger. For the 57-year-old Austrian, it would be a return to the German football upper house after his stints in Cologne (2013 to 2017) and Dortmund (2017 to 2018).
Against the bottom of the table, Darmstadt 98, VfL gave up a 2-0 lead and only played a draw. However, the experience at the away game in Cologne on matchday 28 was even more dramatic. Two goals conceded in stoppage time led to a 1-2 defeat last Saturday and, at least in the short term, to a “big void” at Letsch.
Suddenly Bochum was only three points ahead of 16th place. “We didn’t manage to stabilize ourselves in the long term and make the last few games as successful as we could have been. The team has the quality to compete in the Bundesliga, which is why we want to use the move to provide a decisive impetus for successful relegation,” commented VfL sports director Marc Lettau.
“Demanded to keep the ranks closed”
Sports director Fabian had already avoided making an unambiguous commitment to the coach in Cologne. However, the 36-year-old spoke about not wanting to fall into activism. “We will discuss with him what his solutions are. We are all required to keep our ranks closed,” he said after the defeat at his direct competitor.
Fabian also explained: “We will go home, analyze the whole thing and then we will draw the right conclusions from it.” From the point of view of those responsible, one of these conclusions was the separation from the coach.
Letsch took over VfL as bottom of the table in September 2022. The 55-year-old managed to stay in the league with Bochum last season and was then cheered on in the Ruhrstadion.
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This year too, VfL pleasantly surprised many experts for a long time. “I took over VfL Bochum last season when they were in last place in the table with just one point and together we still managed to stay in the league thanks to a sensational performance. I will never forget this and it is not just this special experience that will always connect me with VfL, the city and the fantastic fans,” said Letsch.
