Bundesliga club - Steffen Baumgart's successor: Timo Schultz becomes new coach of 1 FC Köln
Following the departure of head coach Steffen Baumgart, 1. FC Köln has appointed Timo Schultz as his successor. The 46-year-old will lead the first training session at the Bundesliga club on Thursday, as announced by the 17th-placed team in the table. Several media outlets had previously reported on the appointment, starting with the TV channel Sky. Schultz was most recently head coach at Swiss first division club FC Basel, where he was released in September. He had previously coached second-division club FC St. Pauli from 2020 to 2022. Schultz also played for the Hanseatic club from 2005 to 2012.
"He has the personality and the expertise to raise the performance potential of our team," said Sporting Director Christian Keller about Schultz, according to the press release. The new coach will be officially introduced in Cologne on Thursday afternoon. His first match is scheduled for Saturday against 1. FC Heidenheim.
Timo Schultz: a difficult legacy at 1. FC Köln
"I'm looking forward to a very exciting task at this great traditional club. We will work hard and intensively over the next few weeks to achieve the necessary results. FC belongs in the 1st Bundesliga," said Schultz. The new task is likely to be a more difficult mission for him. After just two wins in 16 games, Cologne are three points off 15th place and in a direct relegation spot. In addition, the squad cannot be strengthened during the winter break or next summer due to a transfer ban imposed by the International Court of Arbitration for Sport Cas.
The legacy of his predecessor Baumgart, who enjoyed great popularity among FC fans, makes Schultz's task even more difficult. Baumgart and Cologne prematurely ended their partnership, which was originally due to run until 2025, shortly before Christmas, one day after a defeat at Union Berlin.
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- The announcement of Timo Schultz as the new coach of 1. FC Köln was first reported by the TV channel Sky, which is based in Germany.
- Prior to joining 1. FC Köln, Schultz was the head coach of FC Basel, a club located in Switzerland by the Rhine River.
- Despite the challenging situation with a transfer ban and being in a relegation spot, Schultz expressed enthusiasm for the task, stating, "FC belongs in the 1st Bundesliga."
- FC St. Pauli, another German Bundesliga club, was where Schultz served as head coach before his tenure at FC Basel.
- Schultz's appointment as the successor to Steffen Baumgart at 1. FC Köln comes after Baumgart's departure, having enjoyed great popularity among the fans and leading the team until just before Christmas.
Source: www.stern.de
