TM interview, part 1
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VfB Stuttgart felt several times with one leg in the 2nd Bundesliga before he has been able to build on long -for -forgotten times of success in the past year and a half. What is possible thanks to good decisions show those responsible around CEO Alexander Wehrle, sports director Fabian Wohlgemuth and head coach Sebastian Hoeneß, who breathed new life into the Swabians.
In part 1 of the large transfer market interview, which is peppered with questions from the community, Wehrle talks about the sensational last season, emotional departures, his “courageous” choice per little and Hoeneß, a remaining of the sought-after trainer and the effects of the entry of Porsche.
Transfer market: Mr. Wehrle, you are back at VfB for almost three years. Her club was close to the abyss in 2023 and then experienced a rapid upswing with the runner-up championship and the Champions League participation. Was such a success for predicament or even planned?
Alexander Wehrle: No, our goal in the summer of 2023 was to play a calm season as possible and not to have anything to do with the relegation battle. If we had reached a solid 11th, 12th or 13th place, we would have been satisfied. We have not forgotten that there was a lot of relegation battle in the past decade and that we even descended twice (2016 and 2019; i.e. Red.). In 2022, Wataru Endos was only shot in the 92nd minute of the 34th match day and 2023 we only saved ourselves in the relegation. Nobody could have imagined that we then play the most successful season with a view to the points with 73. We had three points more than in the 2006/07 championship season, which was exceptional. Had Bayer Leverkusen not played such a sensational season, it might even have been about the championship. A lot was also possible in the DFB Cup, when we left in the quarter-finals in Leverkusen.
Transfer market: An almost perfect season.
Wehrle: And all of this after 27 transfer activities. We had borrowed many players with a purchase option, including Deniz Undav and Jamie Leweling as well as with Leonidas Stergiou and Anthony Rouault (went to Stade Rennes in winter; editor’s note) young players, whom we were all able to commit in the summer of 2024. This shows that we are well on the road during the squad planning and have gained perspective in the squad.
Transfer market: We handled ourselves in the TM community and collected many questions from VfB fans. “Timesle1893” would like to know: Although the decisions of a CEO do not always correlate directly with the sporting success, are there certainly which they are particularly proud of?
Wehrle: At a sporting level, it was certainly right to put us broader and make changes in management. It included signing Fabian Wohlgemuth as sports director and with Christian Gentner (now sports director; i.e. ed.) To get someone who acts as a link. In addition, the clear way in the squad planning is to be mentioned, which runs through all transfer periods. With Sebastian Hoeneß we have committed a trainer who has a clear idea of which player plays what role in the team, on the square and outside. The personnel decisions Fabian Wohlgemuth, Christian Gentner and Sebastian Hoeneß were extremely important for the club. In addition, the economic consolidation and strengths of equity with the World Trademark Alliance Mercedes and Porsche, the completion of the MHP Arena and the positioning of the VfB in the city society were superordinate topics.
Wehrle is reminiscent of conditions in Cologne and talks about VfB exits
Transfer market: And the best decision of it?
Wehrle: Certainly Fabian Wohlgemuth, Christian Gentner and Sebastian Hoeneß.
Transfer market: “Nicog22” asks: Your time at 1. FC Köln (2013 to 2022) was viewed critically by many fans. So did you want to make a little different or better at VfB? Or were some FC supporters too strict with them?
Wehrle: We had taken over the 1st FC Köln 2013 with a negative equity of 12 million euros and built 38 million equity from this starting situation up to Corona – without strategic partners and special effects. The club was very healthy at the time. We had to use funds planned for the future to stabilize equity for the future. It is difficult to understand that this is now partially presented in retrospect. Especially since the decisions at that time were not solely struck by Alex Wehrle, but of course all in coordination with the respective board and joint committee. Most were right, otherwise we could not have built up 38 million euros in equity. And my last decision, shortly before I went, it was to sign Steffen Baumgart together with Horst Heldt, who moved into the Conference League in 2022, for example with Marvin Schwäbe, Mark Uth and Dejan Ljubicic.
Transfer market: They told the “kicker” at the beginning of December: “Some transfers, like Hiroki Ito’s FC Bayern, announced themselves long before. Wataru Endo for FC Liverpool and Waldemar Anton, on the other hand, were also emotional transfers for me. ”They were“ disappointed ”with Anton’s BVB transfer. How much emotionality on the one hand and rationality on the other hand do you lead the club?
Wehrle: The combination is important. To act exclusively rationally in the emotional environment of a traditional club would not be effective. To be guided by emotions without turning on the ratio, nor. As a board, we bear the overall responsibility. And the personal details Wataru Endo and Waldemar Anton have to be separated.
Transfer market: That means?
Wehrle: Wataru Endo still had ten months and was able to realize a lifelong dream with the Premier League. For him it was a unique chance that we didn’t want to prevent. Despite the short contract term, we have generated significant transfer income (20 million euros; i.e. editor), and Liverpool has solved a topic in defensive midfield. So in the end it was a win-win-win situation. And yet it was emotional because we lost our captain, who held us in the Bundesliga a year earlier. At Waldemar Anton it was also emotional because few assumed that he wanted to change. I can understand that many fans were touched exactly like us. But for me it is in the foreground that Waldi was a very important factor in getting 73 points and becoming runner -up. Just because he went, you shouldn’t forget your contribution this outstanding season. That would not be fair.
Transfer market: Who is the bigger stroke of luck for VfB: sports director Wohlgemuth or coach Hoeneß?
Wehrle: I always see the team. Both obligations were brave at the time. When I got a sports manager from the 2nd league with Fabian, some said: ‘What does the military do there?’ I already knew him from my time, at that time we negotiated about the transfer of a player. And in addition, of course, I found out how he acted as a sports director in Kiel and Paderborn. It all sounded very positive. After several conversations, I was convinced that it fits our orientation. We wanted to go over again to form a team and not just sign a few highly gifted players.
Wehrle believes in long Hoeneß stay at VfB Stuttgart
Transfer market: What is the likelihood that Hoeneß is 2025/26 VfB trainer?
Wehrle: Questions about Sebastian’s future have already been asked in the past spring. I see it as an award for his work that a lot is written and speculated about him. Of course I get that. For me, however, it is crucial what he tells us in a personal conversation. He is fully focused on VfB and totally integrated into planning the new season. With his contract extension, he made a clear commitment to VfB and I assume that we will work with him for a long time.
Transfer market: “Justalittlethough” wants to know: What is the exact distribution of tasks in the sporting management? What activities perceive Wohlgemuth, sports director Gentner, the director of the sports organization Markus Rüdt and the head of the Robin Trost license player department?
Wehrle: Fabian Wohlgemuth bears the overall responsibility in the sporting area – in coordination with the other board members. We do the strategic squad planning together with him, Christian Gentner and the head coach at regular intervals. Here, among other things, the question is discussed how we can integrate players from the young area into the squad. In his new role of the sports director, Christian Gentner is now more involved in the handling of transfers. As in the past, Markus Rüdt is responsible for administration in the license player area. Robin Trost completes the team and fills the gap that has arisen by Christian’s new role.
Transfer market: Due to the entry of Porsche, VfB, as they revealed at the end of 2024, has a “very stable situation”. The club can also “allow itself a little more risk”. “TF1893” asks: What are the advantages of the partnerships with Porsche, Mercedes-Benz and Jako? The LBBW Winamax also replaces the main sponsor.
Wehrle: Thanks to the entry of Porsche and other new partners, we are no longer dependent on transfer income to the same extent. Of course, the VfB, like other clubs, will always give players because you move in a dynamic environment when planning the squad. But we can now design contracts from a position of strength. And regardless of the qualification for international business, it is possible to make transfer expenses with a view to the coming season. We were already able to make an anticipation of the new season in the inner defense just ended in central defense (with Finn Jeltsch and Luca Jaquez; i.e. Red.). Overall, we have a good foundation for the transfer period in summer.
Part 2 will follow shortly: VfB boss Wehrle talks to TM about the future transfer budget, necessary exit clauses, the importance of Angelo Stiller’s extension, defects in youth work and the future of the Swabians.
Interview: Philipp Marquardt