Jörg Schmadtke has been criticized for VfL Wolfsburg’s messed up season. Now, somewhat surprisingly, his contract has been extended with an unusual duration. After that, the 57-year-old wants to put an end to it.
Jörg Schmadtke has extended his expiring contract as sporting director at VfL Wolfsburg – but only by a further seven months. The twelfth in the table announced this on Friday. “We agreed in the talks that I would be available to the club until the end of the transfer period after next, at the request of the supervisory board,” said Schmadtke in a statement.
After his contract expires, Schmadtke wants to end his long career as a football official. “Exactly, yes,” said the 57-year-old on Saturday before the Wolves’ game against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim on pay-TV broadcaster Sky. “We have come to the conclusion that January is a sensible time,” said Schmadtke, speaking of a “fluent transition”.
Schmadtke drives planning with Schäfer
At the factory club, “a few adjustments have been made in the recent past” and “one or the other project has also been tackled,” said Schmadtke: “I will now accompany this development a bit further and also the planning in the sporting area together with Marcel Schäfer (sports director, ed.) and our scouting department.”
Wölfe Supervisory Board Chairman Frank Witter is “very pleased that Jörg Schmadtke is putting his personal life planning on the back burner and that we will continue to walk the path we have taken together for a good while.” Now it is important to “consolidate the structures during this period and set the course for a successful future for VfL Wolfsburg.”
Schmadtke came to Wolfsburg in 2018 and led the club to the Champions League last season. After the recent burglary, the manager also came under criticism.