Borussia Mönchengladbach has announced the departure of its Sporting Director, Roland Virkus, following a mutual agreement. The Bundesliga club, currently at the bottom of the league table, confirmed the decision on Tuesday.
Virkus himself stated his decision was motivated by prioritizing the club’s best interests. His exit follows the recent dismissal of head coach Gerardo Seoane, underlining a period of significant change for the team.
Club president Rainer Bonhof explained that the decision stemmed from a desire to restructure the club’s sporting direction. “We are of the unanimous opinion in the committees that we want to set up differently for the future alignment in the sporting area” Bonhof stated. He acknowledged the difficulty of the decision for Virkus, emphasizing his deep connection to the club and thanked him for his service. Virkus assumed the role of Sporting Director in February 2022, inheriting a challenging situation.
Virkus’s career with Borussia Mönchengladbach spans over three decades, beginning in 1990 as a youth coach for the club’s C-team. He held various coaching positions within the youth academy, including roles with the U15, U17 and U19 teams. From 2004 until 2008, he also oversaw the club’s youth boarding school, a facility that was significantly developed alongside then-youth director Max Eberl. He later served as head of youth development before progressing to the Sporting Director position in 2022. The club affirmed that Virkus will remain connected to Borussia Mönchengladbach.