1st FC Cologne - Ex-FC sporting director Heldt: Baumgart could have shaped the era
Horst Heldt regrets the departure of coach Steffen Baumgart from 1. FC Köln. The Bundesliga club "missed the chance to shape an era with Steffen", said the former FC sports director on pay-TV channel Sky. "A unique opportunity to go through thick and thin together. One thing is the sentences and the other is how you actually live it. That also includes possibly going into the 2nd division with the coach," said the 54-year-old Heldt. Two and a half years ago, he was instrumental in Baumgart's appointment.
"Steffen has woken up the club, he has achieved incredible things," said Heldt, praising the coach, who joined from SC Paderborn for the 2021/2022 season and with whom the relegation-threatened Cologne side had announced the end of their collaboration at the end of the year on Thursday. However, Heldt did not work with the 51-year-old Baumgart, who had a contract with FC until 2025, in Cologne. The club had already parted ways with the manager at the end of May 2021 - Baumgart only began his work as FC coach shortly afterwards.
Instead of Baumgart, Heldt blamed the Rhineland club's management team for the critical situation of the team second last in the table with just ten points after 16 Bundesliga games. "They walked into this situation with their eyes wide open," criticized Heldt. "But that also has something to do with the club's philosophy. Managing directors have operational responsibility, but of course they're also given guidelines. They have guidelines."
It all starts with a club philosophy, Heldt explained, "how you want to act. If that has the consequence that the team is getting weaker and we are no longer competitive, then you have to ask yourself: Are we still on the right track?"
Bundesliga table Heldt statements(Sky)
Read also:
- A clan member is punished here
- Traffic lawyer warns: Don't talk to the police!
- Will he be convicted as Jutta's murderer after 37 years?
- He also wanted to kill his cousin
- Despite his departure, Steffen Baumgart's impact at 1. FC Cologne in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, during the 2021/2022 season was significant, as he managed to revitalize the club.
- Horst Heldt, former FC sports director, believes that Germany's Bundesliga team missed an opportunity to shape an era with Steffen Baumgart, as they could have navigated through good and bad times together.
- The Sky pay-TV channel featured an interview with Heldt, who discussed the cooperation between Baumgart and 1. FC Cologne, stating that the climax of their partnership occurred when Cologne was facing relegation threats.
- Despite praising Baumgart's achievements, Heldt expressed criticism towards the club's management team, suggesting they played a significant role in the team's poor performance.
- As 1. FC Cologne currently sits second-last in the Bundesliga table with ten points after 16 games, Heldt emphasized the importance of a clear club philosophy, implying that if the club fails to adapt, they may no longer be competitive.
Source: www.stern.de
