Henriksen successor sought
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This article first appeared on December 4th, 2025 at 1:09 p.m. and was updated with transfer market information in the first paragraph.
After coach Bo Henriksen left, 1. FSV Mainz 05 is looking for a successor. The team will be looked after on an interim basis by U23 coach Benjamin Hoffmann on Friday. After that, the Rheinhessen want to present a new boss. According to information from Transfermarkt, it is not true that Urs Fischer could be imminent – as was recently reported by “Sky”.
The broadcaster had reported that there had been an initial exchange between the struggling Bundesliga club and the 59-year-old. The “Bild” named Fischer, who was recently traded at VfL Wolfsburg, as the “most conceivable solution at the moment”. But the ex-Unioner won’t.
“You can assume that we are very, very confident that we have found a coach,” said sports director Christian Heidel at a press conference at the bottom of the Bundesliga one day after parting ways with Henriksen. The club will inform you about this “towards the weekend”. “We have a very, very concrete idea,” added Heidel and said: “Please don’t throw names at me now, then I’ll get icy silence.” On Friday at 8:30 p.m. Mainz will face Borussia Mönchengladbach at the start of the 13th matchday.
Fischer recently emphasized in an interview with Transfermarkt that he would soon see himself back in the coaching bench of a club. “I miss the daily work on the pitch,” he said. “Working together with the team is something that means a lot to me. And I have to say: I would now be ready to take on a new task again.” His departure from 1. FC Union Berlin was more than two years ago. The Swiss also took a long break before signing with the Köpenick team. At that time, a successful time at FC Basel had come to an end. Fischer also looked back with pride on his five years in the capital, during which the Iron team went from the 2nd Bundesliga to the Champions League. He scored an average of 1.53 points from 224 games.
The dismissed Henriksen took over Mainz in February 2024 when the club was in acute relegation trouble. With him he managed to stay in the league. The 50-year-old sparked real euphoria last season. The FSV shook up the Bundesliga with successful power football and even got a taste of Champions League qualification. In the end it was enough to take part in the Conference League. In the new season, the core business of the Bundesliga only managed one win in the first twelve games; 18th place with six points is a negative record for Mainz at this point. This also makes them one of the weakest teams in the top 5 leagues in Europe.