The new coach should still prevent the relegation despite the negative series of last 16 games in series without victory. Only hours after the end of kurz, the names of potential successors were already circulating in the media – including ex-lauter franco foda and the bulgarian krassimir balakow. Chief executive stefan kuntz would not comment on personnel matters.
Shortly before the afternoon training session at half past three, the team from lauter had officially confirmed the end of the term of office of briefly. The last-place team had spent almost two days wrestling with their decision. "After the 1:4 defeat against FC schalke 04 and many intensive discussions, we have come to the common conviction that we must take this step," kuntz said in a press statement on the seventh coaching dismissal in this first division season. Co-coach oliver schafer and goalkeeper coach gerry ehrmann will initially coach the team.
"We have initiated many different measures in recent weeks and months to get the team on the road to success. Unfortunately, we did not succeed in doing so," kuntz continued to explain. A new head coach will be introduced "in the short term". According to information from "bild.De" is supposed to be balakov's savior – but the ex-professional of vfb stuttgart is currently still coaching the croatian first division club hajduk split.
Franco foda also said to be in talks with four-time german champion – ex-lauter franco foda has announced his departure from austrian first division club sturm graz at the end of the season. Foda told SPORT1: "I have a contract with sturm graz until 31 december. May 2012 and I will also fulfill until that day."
On saturday the 1. FC kaiserslautern to play SC freiburg, who are five points ahead of FCK in the relegation zone. The traditional club is threatened with its third bundesliga relegation after 1996 and 2006.
The 42-year-old short, whose contract runs until 30 september. June 2013, had led the "red devils" back into the bundesliga as second-division champions in 2010 and to a respectable seventh place last season. "This step is now very difficult for all of us, because marco kurz has always put himself completely at the service of the cause and the club," kuntz explained. "Marco kurz deserves the highest respect and recognition for his work and integrity of character. But in order to really have exhausted every conceivable possibility of staying in the league, we have to go down this path."
FCK had made a desolate impression against schalke on sunday, but kuntz could not and did not want to be guided by emotions after the "low point of the season" and announced a comprehensive analysis. On monday, the regeneration training was still briefly conducted behind closed doors at the fritz walter stadium. Tuesday was the last day.
Meanwhile, criticism of the chairman of the board, kuntz, is growing louder and louder: the ex-national striker had taken over responsibility almost four years ago, when FCK was on the verge of falling into the 3. League and insolvency. He brought the club back on track with a strict savings policy.
With a mini-player budget of 16 million euros and a yearly burden of about ten million euros for the fritz walter stadium, kuntz has severely limited financial possibilities. The former bundesliga goalkeeper king has not been able to compensate for the departures of goalkeeper srdjan lakic (vfl wolfsburg/now 1899 hoffenheim) and ivo ilicevic (hamburger SV). Especially in attack – with 17 goals by far the weakest in the league – kurz simply couldn't find a solution – that ultimately cost him his job.