After parting ways with Mitch Kniat, second division club Arminia Bielefeld has hired Oliver Kirch as their new coach.
As the club announced on Friday, Kirch is moving from the regional league team Borussia Mönchengladbach II to Ostwestfalen. Arminia does not provide any information about the term of the contract. With Kirch, Maximilian Nadidai is also moving to DSC as assistant coach from Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Sports managing director Mutzel: “Oliver stands for courageous football”
“I am very pleased that we were able to win Oliver Kirch for Arminia Bielefeld and inspire him with our path,” explained sport-Managing Director Michael Mutzel: “The conversations with Oliver showed that we think in the same direction in terms of content and that he is brave, intensive and offensive football stands. Oliver’s personality also fits in very well with our team on and off the pitch.”
“After talking to Michael Mutzel, it was immediately clear to me that I wanted to take my next career step at Arminia Bielefeld,” said the new coach about his attitude. Kirch and Bielefeld have a special relationship with each other: “That was the station where I developed into a Bundesliga player.”
Church in Bielefeld is well known
After stints at SC Verl and Borussia Mönchengladbach, Kirch played a total of three seasons at DSC and played 77 competitive games in the 1st and 2nd Bundesliga between 2007 and 2010 Bielefeld. After his career ended, he became a youth coach at Arminia before returning to the Alm via the stations in Hamburg and Mönchengladbach. The Soester native has been living in Bielefeld with his family for a long time.
Our sources:
Broadcast: WDR.de, “Ex-professional Oliver Kirch becomes the new coach of Arminia Bielefeld”, June 5th, 2026, 11:21 a.m
