After successful positions at Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayern Munich, Niko Kovac is again taking over a Bundesliga club. VfL Wolfsburg announced the commitment of the new coach.
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Will be the new coach at VfL Wolfsburg: Niko Kovac. (Image: dpa)
(Photo: Arne Dedert/dpa)
Wolfsburg – Niko Kovac’s return to the Bundesliga is perfect. VfL Wolfsburg announced the signing of the former champion coach from Bayern Munich.
The 50-year-old signed a contract that runs until 2025. As with AS Monaco, Bayern Munich, Eintracht Frankfurt and the Croatian national team, his brother Robert Kovac will support him as assistant coach.
“I’m a child of the Bundesliga”
“I’m a child of the Bundesliga and I’m very keen and motivated to start another successful chapter with the Wolves,” said Kovac on his return.
Born in Berlin, he should continue the successful work and strict principles of Oliver Glasner and Bruno Labbadia at the Volkswagen Club. Under these two coaches, VfL developed between 2018 and 2021 from being almost relegated to a participant in the Champions League. Last season, however, the team under Mark van Bommel and Florian Kohfeldt lost almost all the qualities that had made them strong before: will to win, unity, fitness, their tactical identity.
Kovac is known for promoting just such virtues. “He stands for consistent and success-oriented work and I am convinced that the team will bear his signature in the years to come,” said VfL Managing Director Jörg Schmadtke.
The Croatian national team led Kovac to the 2014 World Cup, Eintracht Frankfurt to the 2018 DFB Cup victory and AS Monaco to a Champions League qualification spot in his first season in 2020/21. At FC Bayern Munich, however, he had to leave just six months after winning the double of the championship and the DFB Cup on November 3, 2019. Players and managers like Karl-Heinz Rummenigge were no longer convinced of his work there.
Desired candidate by Schmadtke
According to a report in the “Wolfsburger Allgemeine Zeitung” at VfL, Kovac is the preferred candidate of sports director Schmadtke, who until the weekend before last had campaigned for further cooperation with Florian Kohfeldt. Schmadtke and Kovac have known and respected each other since a season together as Bayer Leverkusen players (1997/98).
“The talks with Jörg Schmadtke and Marcel Schäfer were very good and trusting and convinced me to accept this exciting challenge,” said Kovac. “The team has enormous potential and the conditions for optimal and successful work are in place.”
© dpa-infocom, dpa:220524-99-410773/3
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