For André Breitenreiter, the stint at TSG Hoffenheim is his fourth engagement in the Bundesliga. Lower Saxony’s coaching career began with the Havelse regional league team. He set his first exclamation mark eight years ago when he made it into the Bundesliga for the first time with SC Paderborn.
A year later, the SCP was directly relegated. Breitenreiter but remained in the upper house. His way of coaching and how the Westphalians played football under him made the league sit up and take notice. In the summer of 2015, Breitenreiter became head coach of FC Schalke 04, which he led to fifth place, but was fired a year later by the new sports director Christian Heidel.
Successful in Zurich despite a long break
In March 2017, Breitenreiter then hired at Hannover 96. He also got promoted to the Bundesliga with Lower Saxony, held the class, but had to leave in January 2019.
Until last summer, he was a bit off the coaching radar. Breitenreiter’s career seemed to have taken a hit. But the two and a half year break had purely private reasons. The focus of the 48-year-old shifted completely. During this time his mother died and Breitenreiter took care of his father, who was suffering from dementia. Inquiries, which there were from home and abroad, he said.
After this long but wanted break from coaching, the coach started again in Switzerland and surprisingly won the Swiss championship with FC Zurich by a large margin. It was not to be expected that the cooperation was so successful in the first season. Zurich underwent a major change in personnel last summer. But Breitenreiter hit the right note at Letzigrund and gave the FCZ the right signature.
Breitenreiter’s style of play suits Hoffenheim
In Hoffenheim they want to see attractive attacking football. That worked under ex-coach Hoeneß, but the defense rarely had the required stability. Breitenreiter needs to get back the right mix of power play and defensive reliability.
The new coach stands for pressing, his teams play fast and vertically down the wings, coupled with high stakes. Corresponding Hoffenheim professionals such as national player David Raum and the offensive player Andrej Kramaric or Christoph Baumgartner, to name just a few, are predestined in the TSG squad and suitable for Breitenreiter’s game idea.
In addition, the 48-year-old is considered a motivator and communicator who speaks strongly to his pros. An important attribute that could help in the reorientation of his fourth coaching position in the Bundesliga. Dietmar Hopp has already set the ambitious goal: Consistently in the top six in the league.
Source: SWR