Praise from fellow coach Zorniger
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When he returned to the Betzenberg, Friedhelm Funkel was greeted with applause. Around 500 fans warmly greeted the new coach of second division club 1. FC Kaiserslautern when he entered the pitch in a black tracksuit on Wednesday at 4 p.m. A good two months after his 70th birthday, the coaching oldie is back in the football business – and is supposed to save the Palatinate team from relegation from the 2nd Bundesliga.
In the delicate mission, the former FCK professional at least has a big season finale in Berlin: Funkel could reach the final of the DFB Cup with the Red Devils – he has never won this title as head coach. But the focus is on staying in the league. “It’s just about staying in the class,” emphasized FCK managing director Thomas Hengen.
That’s why the crisis-hit Palatinate team parted ways with head coach Dimitrios Grammozis on Tuesday evening – just 73 days after he took office. Under the 45-year-old German-Greek, who only took up his post on December 3rd as Dirk Schuster’s successor, the Lauterers lost five of six second division games. “Unfortunately, we were not able to achieve the turnaround and have therefore decided to take this step,” said Hengen, explaining Grammozis’ release.
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In the end, it didn’t help that he won the cup round of 16 against 1. FC Nürnberg and the quarter-finals at Hertha BSC and the FCK played against the winner of the duel 1. FC Saarbrücken against Borussia Mönchengladbach for a place in the final. Because in the league the Palatinate team fell to 16th place in the table. With only 21 points, the FCK is level on points with the penultimate Hansa Rostock and has to fear falling into the 3rd league two years after being promoted again.
Should save 1. FC Kaiserslautern: Funkel’s vita is unparalleled
This is to prevent sparkles. “Friedhelm Funkel has a CV that is second to none. He is very experienced and was also a FCK great as a player,” said Hengen about the new hopeful, who has confirmed his commitment until the end of the season. “He’s already done things in football that you need in these important moments like now.”
Cologne, 1860 & Co.
All Funkel trainer stations
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On Wednesday afternoon, Funkel led his first training session at the Fritz Walter Stadium. The former FCK professional from Krefeld last trained 1. FC Köln for a few months in 2021 and saved them from crashing out of the Bundesliga through relegation. “I still live 100 percent football. And when I was finally standing on the sidelines again, I noticed that the tingling sensation was still there,” Funkel told the “German Press Agency” on his special birthday in December. “I don’t rule out doing something as a coach again.”
Especially since Kaiserslautern is probably a matter close to the heart for the veteran: During his playing days – over 40 years ago – he played 89 competitive games for FCK. With well over 1,000 Bundesliga and second division games as a coach and player and eleven coaching positions (twice in Cologne), Funkel knows the business better than almost anyone else.
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The welcome greetings for the industry expert came from virtually all corners of German professional football. In Cologne, where Funkel recently completed his job successfully at FC, head coach Timo Schultz, who had met his colleague at the Cologne carnival meeting, praised Funkel’s timing. “It worked out perfectly for him to only start after the carnival session.”
Coach Alexander Zorniger from Lautern’s second division rival SpVgg Greuther Fürth is “extremely happy” that Funkel is back – “because he has something, he has a personality, he is eloquent. I have to ask about his secret, how he lasted these many years with almost 300 second division games and I don’t know how many first division games without suffering psychological damage.
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