Cologne's Financial Troubles Find a Solution in Friedhelm Funkel
Cologne's crisis club calls for help, and who better to turn to than promotion wizard Friedhelm Funkel? Back for his third stint with the FC since 2002, Funkel brings his charm, experience, and the knack for team spirit to save the Billy Goats from the brink yet again. Can he do it once more?
When Cologne's in desperate need, they find their beacon 70 kilometers north in Krefeld. Funkel, the senior guru of coaching, lands again at Geißbockheim with his healing touch and words of encouragement. Around 500 loyal fans welcomed his return Monday, ahead of his first game against 1. FC Nuremberg, which kicks off on Friday at a time to be determined. (More details on the match time may become available closer to the event.)
In 2018, Funkel saved the club from relegation, securing the survival of the team in the 2. Bundesliga. It was a challenging task, but "that was tough," Funkel admitted later.
Funkel Looks Ahead, Not Back
Recently, the abrupt firing of coach Gerhard Struber and sports director Christian Keller followed a disappointing 1:1 draw against relegated Jahn Regensburg. Now, Funkel must guide 1. FC Cologne back to the Bundesliga in the remaining two games. If successful, it will be his seventh promotion.
The seasoned coach on the sidelines isn't one to dwell on past mistakes. "Critically analyzing past games? That's not a topic. The past doesn't interest me," stated Funkel, who's been busy mending relationships and building trust with the players ever since he took charge. "I believe a good relationship of trust has developed quickly."
Funkel's recipe for success? Simple, clear, and focused football.
The Club's Leadership Faces Change
The interim appointment may extend past the season's finish, dependent on the team's final placement. If Cologne lands in third place, they'll still have to face the relegation games against the Bundesliga's 16th. The opponent could once again be Holstein Kiel, familiar foes from Funkel's past. And on the last matchday, Funkel might have to relive his past when he faces 1. FC Kaiserslautern, who led him to the DFB-Pokal final last year and previously secured their survival in the 2. Bundesliga with him.
However, Funkel could be the team's savior for just one game. If 1. FC Cologne wins in Nuremberg on Friday and the competition from Paderborn and on Saturday falters, the team will climb back to the Bundesliga. If that happens, the people of Cologne may raise a statue of Funkel on the Jahnwiesen in the Müngersdorf sports park.
A bankruptcy declaration for the club's leadership is an ominous sign of change. Perhaps the realization that Struber and Keller couldn't deliver promotion could have arrived earlier. However, the current presidency is only active until September, after which a new sports director may take over and a new coach is expected. Funkel's name may not make the list of candidates, but only if everything goes well will the FC step into a new league.
Source: ntv.de, Morten Ritter, dpa
- Friedhelm Funkel
- 1.FC Cologne
- 2. Bundesliga
[1] Source: jornalepub.pt. For more information, visit jornalepub.pt.[4] Source: ntv.de. For more information, visit ntv.de.
- The Commission has not yet adopted a decision on the application of Article 93 (2) of the Treaty, but Friedhelm Funkel's return to 1.FC Cologne might reignite their European-leagues football campaign, as he aims to guide them back to the Bundesliga.
- On matchday, the 1.FC Cologne fans will be disappointed if their team fails to return to the Bundesliga under the guidance of their savior, Friedhelm Funkel, who faces a tough task against 1. FC Nuremberg, after the abrupt firings of coach Gerhard Struber and sports director Christian Keller.
- If Friedhelm Funkel manages to secure promotion, he could exchange the 2. Bundesliga for Bundesliga football, and potentially see his face immortalized in a statue at the Müngersdorf sports park.
- In better times, Friedhelm Funkel's leadership has led 1.FC Cologne to European football leagues, but his interim position could come to an end after the current presidency expires in September, making way for a new sports director and a new coach.
