After parting ways with coach Steffen Baumgart, 1. FC Köln also ended their collaboration with assistant coach René Wagner and goalkeeping coach Uwe Gospodarek. A new head coach is expected to be introduced in the next few days.
Twelve days after the separation from Steffen Baumgart 1. FC Cologne immediately before the appointment of a new head coach. This will not come from the club’s current staff or youth team. “There will be an external solution,” said sports director Christian Keller on Tuesday on the sidelines of the start of training after the short winter break: “I assume that a decision will be made in the next few days.”
André Pawlak leads the first training session
An in-house coach was a “relevant” option, said Keller, “but we came to the conclusion: With regard to the players, the tactics, the approach, it is important to approach the matter completely untainted. “
The first training session of the year on Tuesday was led by the previous assistant coach André Pawlak, who took over the coaching position on an interim basis – as he did in 2019. Kevin McKenna, who is also staying at FC, was at Pawlak’s side on Tuesday. “This is non-negotiable,” said Keller.
René Wagner follows Baumgart
Unlike René Wagner. Baumgart’s third assistant coach is leaving FC and will most likely join Baumgart in his new job. “We demanded a clear commitment. René Wagner has a high level of loyalty to 1. FC Köln, but a bit more loyalty to Steffen Baumgart,” said Keller.
The contract with goalkeeping coach Uwe Gospodarek was also terminated. U21 goalkeeping coach Eberhard Trautner will initially take on this task.
Diehl and Potocnik train with us
On Tuesday, the Slovenian young striker Jaka Potocnik trained with the professionals for the first time; the now 18-year-old’s move two years ago ultimately triggered the transfer ban. And there is also movement on an issue that has been simmering for months: Cologne’s exceptional talent Justin Diehl was also on the pitch with the professionals. The 19-year-old had recently persistently refused to extend his contract, which expired in the summer, after 13 years in the club’s youth departments.
He then only played and trained with the Cologne U21, and he is the top scorer in the Regionalliga West. The club “used the time between the years to seek an exchange with him and his family, we sorted out a few things and that’s why he’s on the pitch today,” said Keller: “Where that leads is up to him .”
