Dieter Frey took over total sporting responsibility at 1. FC Nürnberg last week, shifting the club’s leadership structure.
The 54-year-old previously served as the director of youth development, shaping the club’s talent pipeline. FCN announced that Reinhold Hintermaier and Gitana Elsner are stepping into expanded leadership roles alongside Frey.
Hintermaier becomes the head of sport, while Elsner steps in as head of administration. Both individuals worked closely with Frey in recent years.
“Mir war von Beginn an klar, dass wir mit Reini und Gitana zwei starke und besondere Persönlichkeiten für diese Aufgaben hier haben, die einerseits die nötige fachliche Kompetenz mitbringen, andererseits aber eben auch vieles von dem mitaufgebaut und zu verantworten haben, was wir hier in den letzten Jahren auf den Weg gebracht haben,” said Dieter Frey, Vorstand Sport.
Continuity at Valznerweiher
Frey emphasized that the newly promoted leaders already know the club’s internal structures. He said that the youth training center features a strong support staff to aid the transition.
Lucas Grundei remains a vital link between the youth academy and the senior squad. The 35-year-old previously worked as an assistant to the sporting board and as head of innovation and administration in the youth department.
Grundei played in the FCN youth ranks during his career. He also spent several years coaching within the club’s youth setup.
Reinhold Hintermaier’s long club history
Hintermaier brings decades of club experience to his new post. He played as a midfielder for Nürnberg from 1979 to 1984 and again from 1992 to 1995.
Following his playing career, he spent more than 15 years coaching youth teams. The Austrian returned to Valznerweiher in 2016 to take on various coaching roles.
Most recently, he worked alongside Frey as head of development for the under-14 through under-17 age groups. The club plans to distribute the upcoming workload across multiple shoulders.
Gitana Elsner’s administrative path
Elsner has worked at Valznerweiher for eleven years. Her early responsibilities included team management and supporting international boarding school students.
She has spent the last four years serving as head of organization. In that capacity, she acts as the central contact for non-sporting background operations.
An experienced background team will now integrate more closely into daily operations. This group will support Hintermaier as he manages his expanded portfolio.
Future club outlook
The club intends to keep youth development as the foundation for future success. Training and promoting local talent remain central priorities under the new sporting leadership.
Frey said that the organization aims to rely on internal personnel who helped build the recent sporting foundation. The next steps involve integrating the support staff into regular decision-making cycles.
No further structural announcements have been scheduled by the club.
