VfL Wolfsburg continues to rely on Niko Kovac – criticism from Maximilian Arnold

VfL 2024 still without a win

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Despite the ongoing negative series under Niko Kovac, VfL Wolfsburg is sticking with its coach. Sports director Sebastian Schindzielorz confirmed this after the 2-3 home defeat against VfB Stuttgart. “That’s what we’ve communicated in the last few weeks and we stand by it,” said the 45-year-old in the ZDF’s “Aktuelle Sportstudio” on Saturday evening.

“This is of course not a pleasant situation, it is of course gnawing at us,” admitted Schindzielorz in view of the ongoing downward trend. “We will not give up, we will pick ourselves up again this week and try again next weekend,” he announced. VfL is the only Bundesliga club other than Darmstadt 98 that is still waiting for a win this year, but has only lost twice in eight games. In the 2024 annual table, Wolfsburg is in 14th place with six points.

“Everyone likes it when there are successes, at the moment it’s not like that,” said Kovac. His team, which started with European Cup ambitions, has at least an eight-point cushion over the relegation spot in 13th place. “We have no choice but to continue to work and fight and turn this in the right direction,” explained the 52-year-old Croatian. The next opponent will be leaders Bayer Leverkusen away on Sunday next week. “We are close. We have to minimize the mistakes; there have been too many mistakes in the last few weeks. Because if you don’t manage to keep a clean sheet, then it will be difficult.”

Since promotion to the Bundesliga: All Wolfsburg coaches with a record

Niko Kovac – 64 competitive games – 1.34 points per game

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In office since July 1st, 2022 (as of March 3rd, 2024)

Florian Kohfeldt – 28 competitive games – 1.14 points per game

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Term of office: October 26, 2021 to May 15, 2022

Mark van Bommel – 13 competitive games – 1.15 points per game

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Term of office: July 1, 2021 to October 24, 2021

Oliver Glasner – 87 competitive games – 1.67 points per game

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Term of office: July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2021

Bruno Labbadia – 50 competitive games – 1.52 points per game

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Term of office: February 20, 2018 to June 30, 2019

Martin Schmidt – 22 competitive games – 1.18 points per game

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Term of office: September 18, 2017 to February 19, 2018

Andries Jonker – 19 competitive games – 1.47 points per game

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Term of office: February 27, 2017 to September 18, 2017

Valérien Ismaël – 17 competitive games – 1.12 points per game

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Term of office: October 17, 2016 to November 5, 2016

Dieter Hecking – 165 competitive games – 1.75 points per game

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Term of office: January 1, 2013 to October 17, 2016

Lorenz-Günther Köstner – 11 competitive games – 1.82 points per game

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Interim coach from October 25, 2012 to December 31, 2012 (previously in 2010 with 21 games, 1.62 points on average)

Felix Magath – 52 competitive games – 1.23 points per game

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Second term: March 18, 2011 to October 25, 2012

Pierre Litbarski – 5 competitive games – 0.60 points per game

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Interim coach from February 7, 2011 to March 18, 2011

Steve McClaren – 24 competitive games – 1.21 points per game

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Term of office: July 1, 2010 to February 7, 2011

Armin Veh – 27 competitive games – 1.26 points per game

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Term of office: July 1, 2009 to January 25, 2010

Felix Magath – 85 competitive games – 1.86 points per game

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First of two terms from June 15, 2007 to June 30, 2009

Klaus Augenthaler – 56 competitive games – 1.16 points per game

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Term of office: December 29, 2005 to May 19, 2007

Holger Fach – 25 competitive games – 1.28 points per game

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Term of office: July 1, 2005 to December 19, 2005

Eric Gerets – 44 competitive games – 1.34 points per game

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Term of office: April 4, 2004 to May 28, 2005

Jürgen Röber – 48 competitive games – 1.42 points per game

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Term of office: March 4, 2003 to April 4, 2004

Wolfgang Wolf – 195 competitive games – 1.45 points per game

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Term of office: March 23, 1998 to March 4, 2003 (took over from promotion coach Willi Reimann on matchday 28 of Wolfsburg’s first Bundesliga season)

Captain Maximilian Arnold (29) also stated that the season with Wolfsburg without a win in nine Bundesliga games was “brutal”. He doesn’t know a simple recipe for success. “We just have to throw ourselves into everything, into every duel. Because now I don’t give a shit how we do it – the main thing is that we win. All this telling just doesn’t help, we just have to move on. Because if we just talk, do and act here, nothing has ever come of it.”

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