Latest news with #Funkel
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Funkel won't continue as Cologne coach after promotion
Cologne coach Friedhelm Funkel reachst ahead of the German second Bundesliga soccer match between FC Nuernberg and FC Cologne at Max Morlock Stadium. Funkel is considering extending his tenure as Cologne coach after the 71-year-old achieved his seventh promotion to the Bundesliga. Daniel Karmann/dpa Friedhelm Funkel will not continue his tenure as Cologne coach following the Bundesliga promotion, the 71-year-old told the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger newspaper in an interview publishes on Friday. The reason for his departure is because he didn't feel like he had support from the majority of the club's board. Advertisement "I would have loved to remain Cologne coach. But unfortunately it doesn't make sense this way," Funkel said. He stressed that his decision won't change. "I won't wait another seven to nine days before there is a majority in favour of me or another coach. The people in charge should know me well enough. When you start a new season, you have to feel the greatest possible confidence. Unfortunately, I haven't felt that to the extent that is necessary," the coach said. Funkel was brought in for the last two games of the season as the Billygoats wobbled, but last Sunday's 4-0 win over Kaiserslautern made them second-tier champions as they went up with SV Hamburg. Advertisement "I have felt a lot of support from the team and the fantastic fans, but things seem to be a little different with the board and with the president. That's a shame, but unfortunately that's the way it is," he said. Cologne haven't commented on the matter. After being dismissed by Fortuna Düsseldorf over five years ago, Funkel had announced he would not coach another club. However, he has since returned to Cologne twice and also took charge of Kaiserslautern last season.
San Francisco Chronicle
18-05-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Cologne returns to the Bundesliga as second division champion
COLOGNE, Germany (AP) — Cologne clinched its return to the Bundesliga as second division champion on Sunday with a 4-0 rout of Kaiserslautern on the final day of the season. First-half goals from Eric Martel and Luca Waldschmidt, and two more from Florian Kainz and Mark Uth in the second half, lifted Cologne two points above Hamburger SV, which slumped to a 3-2 loss at Greuther Fürth in its first game since clinching promotion the weekend before. The top two are automatically promoted to the top division, while Elversberg, which finished third, will face Heidenheim in a two-leg playoff to determine which side will play in the Bundesliga next season. Heidenheim finished third from bottom in the top division on Saturday. Cologne's promotion after one season in the second division rewards the club's management for bringing back Friedhelm Funkel for his third stint as coach for the final two games after the team failed to win its previous two. Those results allowed Hamburg to go top and clinch its return to the Bundesliga after seven seasons away last weekend. Hamburg squandered first place on the final day with its loss in Fürth, where the visitors had a penalty decision overturned and then a goal ruled out through VAR in stoppage time. Cologne's promotion prompted hundreds of its fans to storm the field. Hannes the goat, the club mascot, was safely evacuated beforehand. It's Cologne's seventh promotion to the top division, and a record seventh also for Funkel. The 71-year-old Funkel is the oldest coach to lead a club to promotion, as he was already in 2018 when led Fortuna Düsseldorf to the Bundesliga. ___
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Funkel's Cologne leave it late to win and move to brink of promotion
Cologne players celebrate their victory after the German 2nd Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Nuernberg and 1. FC Cologne at the Max Morlock Stadium. Daniel Karmann/dpa Cologne moved to the brink of promotion to the Bundesliga with a 2-1 comeback win at Nuremberg in Friedhelm Funkel's first game back in charge on Friday. Janis Antiste put the hosts ahead just after the break but Florian Kainz's double, including a winner on 90 minutes, lifted the Billygoats on to 58 points. Advertisement Elversberg and Paderborn are six points adrift with two to play and if both fail to win on Saturday at home to Eintracht Braunschweig and Magdeburg respectively, Cologne are back in the top flight at the first attempt. Second-placed SV Hamburg can leapfrog Cologne and secure promotion on Saturday if they win at home to Ulm. Cologne wrap up the season on May 18 at home to Kaiserslautern. Funkel, 71, was drafted in for his third spell in charge on Monday after Cologne took a huge gamble and sacked Gerhard Struber after two games without a win - despite still being in a promotion spot. Funkel is currently only in charge until the end of the season. Cologne players celebrate their victory after the German 2nd Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Nuernberg and 1. FC Cologne at the Max Morlock Stadium. Daniel Karmann/dpa
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Funkel sees Cologne commitment ahead of two-game promotion spurt
Cologne's new coach Friedhelm Funkel leaves the training ground after the team's traning ahead of Friday's German second Bundesliga soccer match against Nuernberg. Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa New Cologne coach Friedhelm Funkel watched his first training session back at the club on Tuesday and said he was pleased to see "pace" and "fun" from his players. Funkel, 71, was brought in for a third stint to try to shepherd the second-tier side back to the Bundesliga after fans and the board lost faith with Gerhard Struber after a defeat and draw in their last two games. Advertisement The Billygoats are three points clear in an automatic promotion spot with two games to go. "It was really, really good. The players were very committed," Funkel said in a club video. "There was a lot of pace. It was a bit of fun - what I expect and demand from the team." As it stands, the veteran is only in charge for Friday's trip to Nuremberg and the season-ender at home to Kaiserslautern on May 18.
Fox Sports
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Cologne fires coach and brings back Friedhelm Funkel in battle for Bundesliga promotion
Associated Press COLOGNE, Germany (AP) — Cologne is turning to promotion specialist Friedhelm Funkel to lead the team back to the Bundesliga. Cologne, which is second in Germany's second division, fired Gerhard Struber as coach on Monday and appointed the 71-year-old Funkel for the last two games of the season. It's Funkel's third stint in charge at Cologne and his first job since leading Kaiserslautern to the German Cup final last season. Over his long coaching career, Funkel has led six teams to Bundesliga promotion – more than any other. Cologne was leading the second division with four matches remaining, then lost at Hannover before drawing at home with relegated Jahn Regensburg, which allowed Hamburger SV move top on Saturday. The top two are promoted to the Bundesliga. Cologne has a three-point lead over third-place Elversberg before it plays Nuremberg and Kaiserslautern for its final two games. 'Given the big remaining chance of a direct return we have to do everything to take this chance,' Cologne president Werner Wolf said. 'We can't rely on our rivals' results.' Funkel was relegated from the Bundesliga with Cologne in 2003 during his first stint, then clinched survival in 2021 during his second. His third will be his 14th coaching appointment after jobs at Neuss, Uerdingen, Duisburg, Rostock, Cologne, Eintracht Frankfurt, Hertha Berlin, Bochum, Aachen, 1860 Munich, Fortuna Düsseldorf, Cologne again, and Kaiserslautern. ___ AP soccer: in this topic
