Former Fortuna Düsseldorf manager Friedhelm Funkel has identified his January 2020 dismissal from the club as the most painful experience of his long professional career. In a recent appearance on the 11 Freunde podcast, the 72-year-old coach described the abrupt end to his tenure as a moment he still struggles to comprehend, famously calling the decision-makers at the time “feige Schweine” (cowardly pigs) during his final meeting with the board.
Funkel, who has managed 11 professional clubs with an average tenure of 1.81 years, maintained that he had no indication his position was in jeopardy. The club had extended his contract in December 2019 through June 2021, contingent on maintaining Bundesliga status. However, less than two months later, following a difficult run of one win in nine matches and a drop to 18th place in the table, the board opted for a coaching change.
The Timing of the Decision
The circumstances surrounding the dismissal remain a point of contention for Funkel. On the day before his termination, Fortuna Düsseldorf’s official social media channels had publicly congratulated him on being named “Düsseldorf’s Trainer of the Year.” Funkel noted that the absence of board members from the award ceremony had signaled potential trouble, but he remained focused on the 15 matches remaining in the season.
“I was firmly convinced—firmly convinced—that we would stay up,” Funkel stated during the podcast. “I didn’t waste a single thought on being released.”
The following morning, sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel reached out to him repeatedly. Upon arriving at the club’s facilities, Funkel was informed by a staff member that the board requested his presence. During the subsequent meeting, which Funkel described as highly emotional, he asked directly if they intended to dismiss him. Pfannenstiel confirmed the decision, while board chief Robert Schäfer remained silent.
A Career Defined by Survival
For Funkel, the 2020 exit was particularly stinging because of his personal history with the region. Born in Neuss, just across the Rhine, he viewed his time at Fortuna Düsseldorf as a “heart-driven decision.” He had previously intended to retire from coaching after his departure from 1860 München in 2014, but returned to the game when the opportunity in Düsseldorf arose in March 2016. Under his leadership, the club secured safety and won the 2. Bundesliga title in the 2017/2018 season.
Following the trauma of the 2020 dismissal, Funkel’s career path shifted back toward his role as a specialist in avoiding relegation. He successfully guided 1. FC Köln through the relegation play-offs against Holstein Kiel in 2021 and performed a similar rescue mission at 1. FC Kaiserslautern in 2024, where he also reached the DFB-Pokal final, ultimately falling 1–0 to Bayer Leverkusen.
Return to 1. FC Köln
In May 2025, Funkel returned to 1. FC Köln for his third stint at the club, replacing Gerhard Struber. Tasked with stabilizing the team late in the season, he oversaw a successful promotion campaign back to the Bundesliga as the team finished as champions of the 2. Liga.
Despite the success of the promotion, Funkel’s tenure did not extend into the following season. He declined to continue in the role, citing a lack of clarity regarding the club’s long-term commitment. “I will not wait another seven to nine days before a majority decides for me or another coach,” Funkel remarked at the time, indicating that his experience and understanding of the city and club should have been sufficient for a decision to be reached.
