“If I’m the one”: What Wagner says about the future at 1. FC Köln

News blog about 1. FC Cologne

What Wagner says about the future: “If I’m the one…”

1. FC Köln is fighting to stay in the Bundesliga. In the news blog on t-online you will find all the important news about the Geißbockheim.

René Wagner wants to be head coach of the 1. FC Cologne stay, but denied concrete talks with the club on Friday. The current interim coach doesn’t want to “lose focus” before the end of the season, the 37-year-old explained on Friday before the home game against 1. FC Heidenheim. Nevertheless, he is “in very close contact” with sports director Thomas Kessler.

For a few days now, everything has been indicating that Wagner will remain head coach of the Billy Goats beyond the season. He announced on Friday after almost seven weeks in office. “I think that the atmosphere in our staff has also improved. We tried to get even closer together and bring everyone along,” reported Wagner. “Everyone should feel like they’re needed. We’ve done that.”

Regarding his continued employment, the Dresden native explained: “If I am the one who is allowed to continue working here, that will continue to be my focus in the job.” It’s about “that others perform well, because as a result I also perform well.” After the end of the Bundesliga season, Wagner will reportedly be officially confirmed as head coach.

1. FC Köln will officially say goodbye to three players on Sunday before the last home game of the Bundesliga season. Florian Kainz, Dominique Heintz and Luca Kilian will be able to say goodbye to the fans again before kick-off against 1. FC Heidenheim. While Kainz ends his career, the expiring contracts of the two central defenders will not be extended.

“We will say goodbye to these three,” confirmed sports director Thomas Kessler, who “even had the special situation” with Heintz and Kainz, “that I shared the dressing room with both of them and they were my teammates.” The contracts of Timo Hübers and Eric Martel also end after the season. However, the club is still in talks with both professionals about further collaboration. The duo, like the loan players whose future is still uncertain, will not be officially farewelled.

1. FC Köln should follow the promotion battle in the 2nd Bundesliga with particular interest. In addition to champions Schalke 04, SC Paderborn, Hannover 96 and SV Elversberg are also fighting for promotion. From Cologne’s perspective, a promotion from Paderborn would be particularly lucrative: Then a further 200,000 euros bonus payment would be due for Steffen Tigges, who initially moved to SCP last summer for 400,000 euros.