Newsblog for 1. FC Cologne
Because of FC-OUS: national player does not want to appear at international matches
Updated on May 24, 2025 – 11:38 a.m.Reading time: 75 min.
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Mathias Olesen is leaving the 1st FC Köln this summer after six years. However, the midfielder has not yet found a new club. There is also one of the reasons why the Luxembourg is probably foregoing the upcoming caps with his national team.
At least that explained Luxembourg’s national coach Luc Holtz. “You can recommend yourself in the encounters, but there is also a risk of injury. A player said that he does not want to play if he has not signed a contract until then. He is afraid to injure himself.” A little later, Holtz explained that the player mentioned was Olesen.
The midfielder has already played 30 caps and is actually part of Holtz’s regular staff. In June, however, only two other international matches (against Ireland and Slovenia) will be added if Oleses should have found a new club until then.
Friedhelm Funkel does not remain head coach of 1. FC Köln. The 71-year-old confirmed this. He “did not feel 100 percent approval in the committees,” said the promotion coach to the “Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger”.
Funkel would therefore have liked to continue as a head coach. “I really didn’t make the decision easy. I would have loved to stay FC coaches. But unfortunately it doesn’t make sense,” said the 71-year-old. His decision is “irrefutable”.
FC reacted with a statement by sports director Thomas Kessler: “Today we had a very open and respectful conversation with Friedhelm Funkel. We have shown that we have various discussions with potential candidates as part of a responsible selection process,” said Kessler.
And further: “Friedhelm then informed us that he can absolutely understand the need for such a process for such an important position, but has decided not to take part. We have agreed to stay in close exchange in order to consider together the form of Friedhelm in the future.”
After Mark Uth, who ended his career and honored the last game of the season against Kaiserslautern in the stadium, the 1. FC Köln said goodbye to six more professionals: Tim Lemperle, Dejan Ljubicic, Marvin Obuz, Mathias Olesesen, Philipp Pentke and Anthony Racioppi left the club.
With the exception of Ljubicic, who completed the medical check at his new Club Dinamo Zagreb this week and was not present this week, the players were adopted on Monday evening at the end of the season in the Bickendorfer Club “Schrotty”. On Friday, FC officially announced the personal details.
Thomas Kessler officially becomes the new sports director at 1. FC Köln. The club announced on Thursday. However, Kessler will not become part of the management, but will bear the title of the sports director in the future. Christian Keller, who had to leave the club after the 32nd matchday, had previously officially worked as managing director of sports.
Similar to Friedhelm Funkel, Kessler was initially installed as an interim solution. In contrast to the 71-year-old, Kessler should now permanently remain part of the sporting top of the club. Kessler’s contract initially runs until 2027, the association continued to say on Thursday.