He was everybody’s darling in Frankfurt. After the European Cup victory, Oliver Glasner’s hearts fell on him. But high-flyer Glasner has become Glasner, the vulnerable. Is Dino Toppmöller available as his successor?
Oliver Glasner is an honest and open person. Due to his easy-going nature, he has won over fans and players for a long time. Hardly any Eintracht coach who has let the journalists look so deeply into his idea of football. Here, too, Glasner was disarmingly frank. Almost too open to the taste of one or the other at Eintracht. But Glasner was successful. Incredible success.
The Reaching the Champions League Round of 16 this season and of course the sensational Europa League victory a year ago against Glasgow Rangers. Much more than any fan could ever have dreamed of. And Eintracht had a cool coach. After the success in Europe, Glasner celebrated with a slouch hat at Ballermann in Mallorca. A nice time.
But soon in the new, current season there were the first cracks. Since the summer, one topic has hovered over everything that has occupied Glasner and ultimately the entire club over and over again: the question of defense. According to the motto: Eintracht are missing – after the departure of Martin Hinteregger – seasoned defenders to achieve the big goals. And there was the first big argument.
After the Hertha game it got loud
After 1: 6 season opener against Bayern Munich and the weak 1:1 at Hertha BSC it banged for the first time. Between Glasner and sports director Markus Krösche. Glasner raised his voice and many heard it. Since then, various media have repeatedly reported on the broken relationship between Glasner and Krösche. Mainly because Glasner didn’t get the required defenders from Krösche – even in winter. However, those involved credibly cleared up this topic on several occasions.
Most recently at the end of March on the sidelines of Eintracht’s spring reception. There Glasner showed his honest side again. No, according to Glasner, he and Krösche were absolutely in agreement as far as the defense transfers were concerned – which were not made. One of the desired defenders was simply too expensive, with the other the releasing club would have backed down. Glasner said. So no reason to get excited.
However, this increased among those responsible for Eintracht. Because Glasner made the said honest statements, but after the games in the interviews in 2023, the old defense personnel criticism flashed through again and again. But what particularly bothered the Eintracht bosses: Emotions went through more and more with Glasner. Internally in team meetings, but also in public.
Glasner: Frustration speeches without a line
The year 2023 was something new. Eintracht initially played successfully (3-0 against Schalke and Hertha, draws in Freiburg and Bayern), but somehow the sovereignty and the offensive fireworks went flutes during the long winter break. Then it went there. Clearly visible for the first time in February in the 0:3 defeat in Cologne. From then on, it became increasingly clear that Eintracht’s defense was not competitive. And after the 2-0 defeat at Union Berlin in mid-March, there was a huge bang for the first time.
Because Glasner is a perfectionist. The increasing number of errors on the pitch drove him mad. After the Union defeat, Glasner denied his team and especially the defense the quality: “You can’t train quality.” A clear criticism of the composition of the team. Then in April the press conference after the sobering 3-1 defeat in Leverkusen. Glasner felt provoked by a question, muzzled himself and ended the round with the words “Happy Easter”.
Can you do that? But seemed increasingly thin-skinned. The highlight of the publicly displayed Glasner frustration was the 3-1 defeat at the weekend at TSG Hoffenheim. The red card after Glasner shot a second ball onto the field in protest of a referee’s decision and the angry speech in the PK after the game (“Stop me with this garbage”). That was too much for Eintracht boss Axel Hellmann.
Signs of a Glasner-Aus are piling up
Hellmann criticized Glasner’s anger speech in the Bild newspaper sharp: “I recommend everyone to concentrate very hard on taking the last three Bundesliga games very seriously. (…) We have the cup final on June 3rd. It is our responsibility as those responsible that we Set up the club with the greatest possible strength – the statements have to do with that (by Glasner; ed.) certainly made no contribution”. Rumms. Criticism of Glasner is also piling up internally.
Glasner had been missing a plan B on the pitch for a long time. In addition, he always relied on the same players, almost all of whom (Kolo Muani, Rode, etc.) were now on the gums. Supplementary players such as Faride Alidou, Ansgar Knauff or Lucas Alario did not support Glasner enough or even alienated him. Glasner is said to have lost large parts of the team. In addition, Glasner puts his interests first, although he repeatedly announced in his speeches to the team that the interests of the club were paramount. So much for the internal allegations.
Dino Toppmöller (alongside Julian Nagelsmann) was assistant coach at Bayern until March
Crisis meeting with Glasner, talks with Toppmöller
All in all, there are many indications that Eintracht and Glasner will go their separate ways in the summer. There should soon be a conversation with Glasner – probably with Krösche – about how he imagines his role and the rest of the season. The angry speech will definitely be a topic again. Glasner will definitely not be the center of attention in the upcoming home game against Mainz on Saturday. The Austrian sits – after his red cards in Sinsheim – in the stands.
And a possible successor coach is already ready. According to information from hr-sport, sports director Krösche has been in contact with Dino Toppmöller for weeks, who played for Eintracht for a year in the 2002/03 season and was most recently an assistant coach at Bayern Munich. According to reports, both have already spoken about details. Krösche and Toppmöller know each other from their Leipzig days together, and the Eintracht sports director appreciates the 42-year-old very much. Toppmöller could take over in the summer.
Eintracht did not want to confirm this process to hr-sport. The focus is now fully on Glasner and the timely discussions with him, it said.
