AUDIO: Hannover 96: Man goes, Schmadtke comes (1 min)
As of: December 24, 2025 3:22 p.m
Jörg Schmadtke returns to German professional football and succeeds Marcus Mann, who is moving to Austria, at second division club Hannover 96. The 61-year-old, who shaped the most successful period in the club’s recent history from 2009 to 2013, will take on responsibility for the licensed team and the 96 Academy as sports director.
The club announced the spectacular change in management on Christmas Eve. “I’m very happy to be back and to take up my role at Hannover 96. Now it’s about getting to work quickly,” said Schmadtke: “First of all, I would like to quickly get a comprehensive picture and will have a lot of discussions to get to know the internal processes, structures and perspectives.”
After four and a half years in Hanover – as sports director from June 2021 and as managing director since March 2025 – the 41-year-old man is moving to Austria to Europa League participant Red Bull Salzburg, as requested, where he will be responsible for the sporting area and will succeed Rouven Schröder, who moved to Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Man: “It’s very difficult for me to say goodbye”
It was agreed not to disclose the terms of the transfer. As the Lower Saxony company announced, the change in management will take place at the turn of the year. Mann still had a contract in Hanover until the summer of 2029.
“It is very difficult for me to say goodbye to Hannover 96. I have always been there with great passion over the four and a half years and have taken the club, the city and the people very close to my heart,” said the 41-year-old: “I will always look back on 96 with fond memories and wish the club the greatest possible success in the near and distant future.”
Contract for Schmadtke until 2029
Schmadtke will receive a contract until February 28, 2029, and Henning Bindzus will continue to act as commercial director. “I am very pleased that in Jörg Schmadtke we were able to gain a specialist with great experience to shape the sporting future of Hannover 96,” said Supervisory Board Chairman Martin Kind. Schmadtke stands for “structured approach, decision-making power and, as a result, successful work. He knows the club and the environment and will be able to quickly familiarize himself with all relevant topics.”
In Schmadtke’s first term at 96, the club finished the 2010/11 Bundesliga season in fourth place, and the team also played in the Europa League in the following two years. After his departure, Schmadtke worked at 1. FC Köln and VfL Wolfsburg, and until February 2024 he was most recently the sporting director of Liverpool FC.
