The second-tier football team 1. FC Köln has immediately dismissed head coach Gerhard Struber and sports director Christian Keller. The club announced on Monday that Friedhelm Funkel will take over as new head coach. However, Funkel will only be in charge for the last two games of the season. Thomas Kessler will temporarily assume the role of sports director to oversee the team.
According to the club’s president, Werner Wolf, the decision was made in order to seize the opportunity for a direct promotion. Wolf stated, “We cannot rely on the results of our competitors. The team needs to focus on their own strengths for the remaining matches.” New impulses are now needed to achieve this.
Currently, FC Köln is in second place on the table, with only three points of advantage over fourth place. In their most recent match, the team could not break away from a 1:1 draw against the last-place Jahn Regensburg on Saturday. The club is now looking to secure their position and achieve the desired outcome.