As of: March 18, 2024, 7:23 a.m
By: Melanie Gottschalk
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VfL Wolfsburg is parting ways with coach Niko Kovac.
The ex-Bayern coach has been working for the Wolves since summer 2022.
Update from Sunday, March 17th, 10:30 a.m.:
According to numerous media reports, VfL Wolfsburg has announced the immediate separation from head coach Niko Kovac.
Assistant coaches Robert Kovac and Aaron Briggs also have to go.
The club informed Kovac of the decision on Saturday evening.
“After the defeat against FC Augsburg, we came to the decision to end our cooperation after internally analyzing the game and our overall situation.
We regret the development and believe it is necessary to give the team new impetus in order to stabilize the situation,” managing director Marcel Schäfer is quoted as saying in the statement.
Media reports: Kovac fired from Wolfsburg
First report from Sunday, March 17th, 10:16 a.m.:
Wolfsburg – The 3-1 defeat against FC Augsburg was probably too much!
VfL Wolfsburg is parting ways with coach Niko Kovac.
Bild
,
Kicker
and
Wolfsburger Allgemeine Zeitung
report this
unanimously.
Wolfsburg did not win any of the last eleven league games under Kovac, and with 25 points from the 26 games of the season, VfL is now closer to the relegation zone than to the international places they are aiming for.
Ex-Bayern coach Kovac fired in Wolfsburg: successor already traded
Possible successor candidates include former Bundesliga coach Ralph Hasenhüttl (most recently FC Southampton) and Matthias Jaissle (Al-Ahli), who are currently without a club.
Kovac, who had a contract with Lower Saxony until 2025, took up the job with the Wolves in the summer of 2022.
In his debut season he missed the desired European Cup qualification with eighth place.
The reason for this was a defeat against relegated Hertha BSC on the last matchday.
Ex-Bayern coach Niko Kovac apparently fired in Wolfsburg.
© Christian Schroedter/imago
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VfL Wolfsburg only in 14th place: Not enough for the Wolves' demands
This season there are six wins compared to 13 defeats.
The factory club suffered its third defeat in a row against Augsburg, and 14th place in the table is clearly not enough for Wolfsburg's high standards.
And: thanks to FSV Mainz 05's victory against VfL Bochum on Saturday (March 16th), Wolfsburg's gap to the relegation place narrowed to just six points.
The Wolves are significantly closer to relegation than to international places.
Marcel Schäfer, managing director at VfL Wolfsburg, had already avoided making a confession after the defeat against FC Augsburg.
When asked about Kovac, he said: “At some point we have to deliver the results.
We haven't had that in the last few weeks or today." Those responsible would discuss the situation internally and then make a decision.
This has now apparently fallen.
(msb/dpa)