Feldhoff and Ural assume temporary control of VfL Bochum until further announcements.
Following the termination of coach Zeidler, VfL Bochum decides on an internal dual solution: Co-trainers Feldhoff and assistant coach Ural take charge. They've got a tight timeline to rejuvenate the team, as the upcoming opponents promise minimal chances of victory.
It's barely six months since enthusiasm filled the Castroper Street grounds. With a remarkable escape from relegation, VfL Bochum successfully maintained their league spot - and envisioned a tranquil Bundesliga season. However, just five months later, VfL finds itself in turmoil once again.
And as of Monday afternoon, it's clear: Markus Feldhoff and Murat Ural will begin the reparation process immediately post-Zeidler's dismissal. The duo will steps in to stabilize the unstable team, readying them for the domestic game against the formidable Bayern Munich champions. The club announced this officially the following day after Zeidler's dismissal.
Feldhoff, as co-trainer in Bochum since 2023, served as head coach at VfL Osnabrück in the past. Ural joined VfL in the summer as Zeidler's assistant. Due to a "lack of conviction" and the disastrous start with just one point from seven games, the separation from Zeidler and sporting director Marc Lettau was inevitable from the administrators' perspective.
Tough challenges ahead
However, this new pairing is about to face a demanding schedule with minimal prospects of success. On Sunday (3:15 PM/Liveticker at ntv.de), Bayern will visit Bochum, followed by matches against Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayer Leverkusen, and VfB Stuttgart. "If they bungle it, they'll collect one point after eleven games," former national player Dietmar Hamann joked in the Sky studio.
The duration of Feldhoff and Ural's tenure remains unclear. According to WAZ, VfL is actively searching for a new sporting director who can then negotiate with prospective coaching candidates. The inclination seems to be towards recruiting an external coach. Initially, the current U19 coach David Siebers was also considered an internal option.
If Feldhoff and Ural manage to score victories against the elite opponents before the mid-November international break, and VfL continues to support them, they might get to lead the team further. If a new coach is brought in, he would have ample time to acclimate to the team prior to the first competitive game.
Ultimately, the management no longer believed in Zeidler's capacity to turn things around. The same applies to Lettau, who was appointed sporting director just last year. "The belief that VfL can achieve their primary goal of staying in the league with the current personnel setup is absent," they stated.
VfL's offense has been dismal this year, with only promoted FC St. Pauli scoring fewer goals in the Bundesliga. The defense is porous, and the team appears uncertain.
However, the players seem to be aware of the critical situation. "We need to win now, regardless of who takes charge," striker Philipp Hofmann stressed after the latest setback against TSG Hoffenheim (1:3). The exhilaration from their narrow relegation victory against Fortuna Düsseldorf is long gone.
The dismissals of trainer Zeidler and sporting director Marc Lettau were necessitated due to a "lack of conviction" and a disastrous start with only one point from seven games. Markus Feldhoff and Murat Ural now face tough challenges ahead, as they prepare to stabilize the team and take on formidable opponents such as Bayern Munich, Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayer Leverkusen, and VfB Stuttgart.
