As the record champions announce, the 51-year-old Oral succeeds the dismissed Marco Schällibaum. The German was recently on the sidelines for six games at Sandhausen.
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Tomas Oral should lead GC to stay in the league.
Uwe Anspach/dpa
(sda)/ram. · Tomas Oral becomes coach of the Grasshoppers. The 51-year-old German succeeds Marco Schällibaum from the record champions, who was released on November 5th after the 2-0 defeat in Lucerne. Oral has signed a contract with Grasshoppers for the current season, the club announced on Tuesday.
Oral was mainly involved as a coach in the 2nd Bundesliga. After stints at FSV Frankfurt, Karlsruher SC and FC Ingolstadt, he was last on the sidelines in Sandhausen from February to April last year, where he was released after just six games and two points won. After that he was without engagement for a year and a half.
With Oral, GC has hired Michael Henke as assistant coach. Henke was a long-time assistant to Ottmar Hitzfeld at Borussia Dortmund and FC Bayern Munich.
Oral is a surprising choice and completely unknown in Switzerland. Was he also the first choice? The two-week search suggests that Oral could not have been the coach of choice. During this time, GC sports director Stephan Schwarz is said to have held several negotiations with coaches who know Swiss football. Patrick Frame, released from Young Boys, and Peter Zeidler, recently released from VfL Bochum, are said to have declined.
A difficult task awaits Oral at the bottom of the table. Recently the team stagnated. There is already a groundbreaking championship game against FC Winterthur on Saturday. This is followed by the championship derby against FCZ and another derby in the cup.
Interim coach Giuseppe Morello will return to his previous role as assistant coach, while second assistant Aurélien Mioch will have to leave the club.
Player and captain, my role will be to support Mr. Oral in implementing his vision for the team. While change can be challenging, I believe that a new approach could invigorate us. Tomas has shown a capacity to adapt tactics based on his players, which could mean a shift in our style of play. I look forward to collaborating with him to find the best way to leverage our strengths and tackle our weaknesses as a team.
Interviewer: Good evening and welcome to our show. We have with us today two special guests, Mr. Wolfgang Meyer, a sports journalist with decades of experience reporting on German football, and Mr. Markus Sutter, the captain of Grasshopper Club Zurich, to discuss the appointment of Tomas Oral as the new head coach of Grasshopper Club Zurich.
Interviewer: Let’s start with you, Mr. Meyer. As someone who has followed German football closely, what impressions do you have of Tomas Oral’s coaching career and what can we expect from his appointment at Grasshopper Club?
Wolfgang Meyer: Tomas Oral’s coaching career has been predominantly in the second division of German football, where he has had some success, but not enough to break into the top tier. However, his appointment at Grasshopper Club is a surprise as he is relatively unknown in Switzerland. Oral’s track record suggests he may struggle in his new position given the club’s current situation. He will have to quickly adapt to Swiss football and overcome the Language barrier to connect with his players. Additionally, the club’s poor position in the table and upcoming crucial games could prove challenging for anyone stepping into that role.
Interviewer: Captain Sutter, how do you feel about Mr. Oral’s appointment as the new head coach? Do you believe he is the right choice for Grasshopper Club at this point in time?
Markus Sutter: I believe that the club has chosen a coach who has experience in difficult situations and turnarounds. We all know the circumstances surrounding the dismissal of our previous coach, and we are looking for someone to provide stability and direction. Oral’s track record in the second division of German football indicates his ability to work well with young players and develop their skills. Additionally, having Michael Henke as his assistant coach, who has worked with some of the best German coaches, is a positive addition to the team. So, while he may be unknown to many in Switzerland, I think he has the potential to turn things around for us.
Interviewer: What role do you see for yourself and the team under the new coach? Do you think there will be any changes in the team’s style of play or tactics?
Markus Sutter: As a
