After parting ways with Steffen Baumgart, 1. FC Köln is looking for a new head coach in the contemplative period between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. The list of candidates traded around Geißbockheim is getting longer and longer.
Immediately after the dismissal of Baumgart, who had had sporting responsibility at 1. FC Köln for two and a half years, Thomas Reis, Heiko Herrlich, Enrico Maaßen (all currently without a club) and the internal solutions Evangelos Sbonias (second team and Stefan Ruthenbeck) were among others (A-Youth) traded.
Friedhelm Funkel, who announced several times around his 70th birthday in mid-December that he felt ready and fit for a new head coaching job, should no longer be a hotly discussed personality at Effzeh. This was reported by the “Express”.
The coaching oldie is seen above all as a fireman who achieves short-term results with his teams and no longer stands for long-term planning. That’s exactly what 1. FC Köln is aiming for.
Ideally, a head coach should be installed who fundamentally continues the philosophy of his predecessor, Steffen Baumgart. “We have a clear game idea that was implemented under Steffen (Baumgart, editor’s note). This game idea should not change. On the contrary: it should be strengthened and stabilized,” said sports director Christian Keller recently quoted.
1. FC Cologne will resume training on January 2nd
“So we have to find a coach who fits this idea. The coach also has to see the quality in the team that we all see – which the players also have to have the confidence to have again in order to stay in the league,” said Keller clear requirement profile.
In addition to the football teachers already mentioned, other names have recently been floating around the cathedral city. According to “Express”, André Breitenreiter (most recently 1899 Hoffenheim), Bo Svensson (most recently Mainz 05), Stefan Kuntz (most recently Turkish national coach) and Ralph Hasenhüttl (most recently FC Southampton) were also traded in Cologne.
The new head coach of 1. FC Cologne should be found by January 2nd at the latest, when the professionals resume training. In the Bundesliga, the penultimate team continues with the important home game against 1. FC Heidenheim on January 13th.