After the failed negotiations with Sami Khedira, former Bundesliga coach Hannes Wolf is to be given more powers at the German Football Association (DFB).
According to a report by the “Frankfurter Rundschau”, the association is planning to promote the current head coach of the U20 national team to technical director. In addition, the 42-year-old Wolf is said to be in charge of a competence team that also includes the former Bundesliga professionals Hanno Balitsch and Sandro Wagner.
Wolf has already coached the Bundesliga clubs VfB Stuttgart, Hamburger SV and Bayer Leverkusen in the past. The coach of the year 2017 is valued at the DFB and, as the champion coach of Borussia Dortmund’s youth team, also has the necessary experience in the youth field. U18 national coach Balitsch has been with the DFB for six years, Wagner most recently coached SpVgg Unterhaching for promotion to the 3rd division and then switched to the DFB to work as Wolf’s assistant coach at the U20s.
DFB continues to search for sports director
According to media reports, Khedira is no longer a candidate to succeed Rudi Völler as DFB sports director. Völler and DFB President Bernd Neuendorf have broken off negotiations with the 36-year-old. Khedira did not have the feeling that he was the ideal candidate and probably did not have the powers and competencies that he would have liked. As the “Kicker” reported, the talks did not fail because of salary issues.
The DFB is looking for a sports director. Rudi Völler, who took over the task after Oliver Bierhoff’s resignation, would like to give up the position again after the home European Championship in 2024. Khedira was recently in talks as sporting director at the DFB with the prospect of becoming Völler’s successor. The former Bundesliga professional confirmed talks with the DFB at the beginning of August.
