Michael Ströll and Benni Weber on the current situation

One day after parting company with Sandro Wagner, FCA CEO Michael Ströll and sporting director Benni Weber addressed the developments of recent days. They spoke about…

…the events that led to the contract termination:

Michael Ströll: We had always intended to stay on the course we had outlined. However, the period from the Hoffenheim match on Saturday evening through to Monday was decisive in prompting us to fundamentally reassess the situation. In our discussions it became clear that the belief and conviction were no longer there to turn things around in the current set-up. That meant we had a responsibility to make a decision – naturally in the interests of the club. We would have preferred a different scenario, but the developments of the past few days left us with no choice but to act.

…the sporting direction moving forward:

Benni Weber: It’s important for us to stay committed to the approach we’ve set out. We chose this path deliberately, and that’s also the basis for our search for a successor. We want to keep playing on the front foot and show courage. We’ll continue to back our young players while maintaining a good balance within the squad.

…the interim solution involving Manuel Baum:

Benni Weber: Manu has been part of our set-up for quite some time now, and we’re grateful that he is stepping in and taking on this important role for us on a temporary basis. He brings experience and has already taken on responsibility in a similar situation with success. He’s fully committed to the task ahead.

Michael Ströll: Both from the club’s side and from Manu himself, it’s clearly agreed that his role is temporary. He also wants to return to the position we created for him in the summer.

…the direction for the coming games up to Christmas:

Benni Weber: Every individual is needed now. It’s not about hiding – it’s about every player and every staff member giving everything. You can never guarantee results in football, but you can increase the likelihood of them – through performance, commitment and training intensity. Everyone has the chance to step up and stake a claim ahead of the Leverkusen game.

First training session under interim coach Baum

Following Monday’s day off, the team today began preparations for the match against Bayer 04 Leverkusen (Saturday, 6th December, 15:30 CET). Alongside interim coach Manuel Baum, talent manager Alexander Frankenberger and U17 assistant coach Fabio Leutenecker also joined the coaching staff.

“Everything that’s happened in the past isn’t relevant for me. My job is pretty straightforward: sprint from game to game,” commented Manuel Baum after the first session. The priority now is to shape a team that believes it can take all three points against Leverkusen.

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