Luc Holtz, who came under criticism because of the nomination of a criminal, has resigned as a national coach of Luxembourg. At the third division club Waldhof Mannheim, he now took up his new job.
The announcement by the Luxembourg Football Association from Monday (11.08.2025) includes three sentences. The first thing states that national coach Luc Holtz asks for the immediate dissolution of his contract. The second sentence provides the reason for the request: Holtz has an offer from a foreign association. As confirmed on Tuesday, this association Waldhof was Mannheim. The German Dittligist announced the commitment of the 56 -year -old coach at noon.
The Fédération Luxembourgeoise de Football (FLF) had announced in the last sentence of her message that it would comply with the coach’s request for the contract.
Three sentences, without any quote, is poor for the end of a trainer who did the job for 15 years, and with some success.
Association announced for the end of 2025 at the latest
Holtz’s contract was only valid until December 31 of this year. There would also be no new one. The association announced this on July 9th. After “in -depth sporting analysis”, the FLF came to the conclusion of hiring a new coach for the new year.
With the early announcement, the association wanted to promote a “serenity” with which players and coaches are supposed to tackle the qualification for the 2026 World Cup. Luxembourg will also play against Germany on October 10th in Sinsheim, on November 14th in the Stade de Luxembourg.
Constant among the top 100
Luc Holtz took over Luxembourg in 2010. The team was a bit climbed from the 195th place in the world rankings, which she took four years earlier. But she still had the call to stand on one level with Andorra and San Marino.
That changed under Holtz. It went up to 84th place, now it is 92nd. Luxembourg has been among the top 100 since 2017.
In the playoffs for the European Championship 2024, Luxembourg failed in the semifinals of Georgia, which ultimately qualified.
1-0 against Sweden, 0-0 against Ireland
In March 2025, the selection of the Grand Duchy won 1-0 against Sweden. The last international match so far ended on June 10 with a 0-0 against Ireland.
Gerson Rodrigues contested his 72nd international, although many would have liked to see that it stays with 71 forever.
June 2025: Protests against the nomination of Gerson Rodrigues before the game against Ireland
Rodrigues was sentenced to 18 months in prison for multiple bodily harm in spring. Even after the appeal, a court saw that the football professional hit its girlfriend at the time in November 2022. Two men were also victims of beating attacks.
Despite the judgment, Holtz nominated the striker and let him play. The association defended the trainer and stated that Rodrigues should not be punished in his job.
The coach and association were heavily criticized in public, the case made headlines internationally.
Suspension “until further notice” in August
There was news at the beginning of August. The 30 -year -old Gerson Rodrigues should “no longer be nominated for the national team” until further notice “, the FLF said. “Despite the advice and recommendations that tried to give him those responsible for the association,” the best goal scorer of Luxembourg’s “did not draw any positive consequences from it”.
Luxembourg media report that the Rodrigues, born in Portugal, still did not apologize, but he continues to assert his innocence.
After the game against Ireland: Gerson Rodrigues applauds the audience
It is not known whether the request from Holtz to dissolve the contract, also related to the suspension of his center forward.
Holtz scolds the critics
The national coach responded to the announcement of the association that he was not given a new advertising, with an open letter. In it, he mainly complained about the reporting of the media and their criticism of his person. “Untruths” were spread. He left open which that should be.
New job at SV Waldhof
Holtz will now train SV Waldhof Mannheim at his first stop abroad. The third division team had released his head coach Dominik Glawogger on Monday after just two match days.
At noon said Holtz at noon: “The time as a national coach in Luxembourg was a great and formative phase for me – personally and professionally. Now I burn a new chapter at a traditional club like SV Waldhof.”