Sport: Two deals, three clubs: Coach rotation before completion

2016-05-25 14:32:19

Willing to change

Coach Dirk Schuster wants to leave Darmstadt. Photo: Roland Holschneider

(Photo: dpa)

After Markus Weinzierl had finally announced his long-awaited move from FCA to Gelsenkirchen, the Swabians convinced Dirk Schuster from Darmstadt to transfer to last year’s Europa League participant. In any case, the ex-professional asked his still-employer from southern Hesse for approval, despite the current contract until 2018 to be able to hire with the league rival.

The two deals between the three clubs had not yet been concluded and fixed with contract signatures by Wednesday afternoon – mainly because one deal depends on the other and the parties involved are concerned with transfer fees and contract details.

First it was Schalke’s turn to free Weinzierl from his contract in Augsburg, which ran until 2019. According to media reports, the final obligation now only depended on the approval of the supervisory board. The Funke media group reported on Wednesday that an agreement had been reached with the Augsburgers on a transfer fee of three million euros. It would be the most expensive change of coach in the Bundesliga. The fact that the supervisory board around the chairman Clemens Tönnies gives its okay is only a formality. The 41-year-old Weinzierl should get a three-year contract.

In an interview with Die Zeit, he himself announced that he was leaving Augsburg after four successful years. “We have achieved everything we could achieve together. Now somebody with new ideas and new vision has to take over,” he said.

According to FCA, Dirk Schuster, who recently caused a big surprise when Darmstadt stayed in the Bundesliga, brings these ideas and visions with him. On the last day of the game he protested that he wanted to stay with the southern Hesse team.

He has since changed his mind. “Dirk Schuster had a great and unforgettable time in Darmstadt and has celebrated incredible successes in three and a half years. Now the new job in Augsburg is appealing to him,” said Schuster’s manager Ronny Zeller of “Sport Bild”.

Darmstadt President Rüdiger Fritsch had already reported an inquiry from Augsburg at the beginning of the week, now it was Schuster’s turn. “After FC Augsburg expressed interest in signing Dirk Schuster and assistant coach Sascha Franz, the two coaches have now asked for approval,” Darmstadt said.

The association wanted to discuss the situation “quietly and with the necessary seriousness”, it said. Ultimately, however, it will only be about the amount that the Darmstadt team receive for the coaches.

The Hessians want to be paid as dearly as possible for the breakup of the troops. Schuster and Franz are not the only protagonists of the football fairy tale that the people of Darmstadt wrote with the march from the 3rd division to the Bundesliga and then probably even more impressive staying in the class. Goalkeeper Christian Mathenia and striker Sandro Wagner are also leaving the club.

The club with the smallest budget in the league will have to fill a number of gaps in the squad during the summer break, as they did a year ago – and first of all find a new coach.