Cologne bring in Funkel | OneFootball

Friedhelm Funkel to take over at Cologne for their remaining games

With the finish line of the 2024/25 Bundesliga 2 season in sight, Cologne are well placed to go up automatically. They'll aim to do so without Gerhard Struber, who was dismissed following a drop in form. Friedhelm Funkel, who has had two spells in charge of the Billy Goats before, will be the man to replace him for the remainder of the season.

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Cologne's 1-1 draw with Jahn Regensburg, who were relegated by the result, saw promotion rivals Hamburg regain top spot, and led to the dismissal of head coach Gerhard Struber.

With just a three point gap between themselves and Elversberg who sit in third, the club have moved to try and secure automatic promotion in their two remaing games against Nuremberg and Kaiserslautern.

Speaking on Stuber's departure, president Werner Wolf said: "Our decision is the result of a thorough analysis of the team's sporting development over the past few weeks. Given the still strong chance of automatic promotion, we must do everything in our power to seize this opportunity."

Cologne had won just four of their last 10 games, drawing three and losing three. With only one of those wins coming in their last five games, and Hamburg regaining top spot, the decision was made to move on from Struber as well as managing director Christian Keller. Former goalkeeper Thomas Kessler will replace the latter as sporting director.

While disappointed with the decision, Struber wished the side well for the next two games, saying: "I've often spoken throughout the season about a marathon we have to run together. The standings show how tough this race is for all teams. Now that the finish line is in sight and we have a good chance of winning, the decision hurts especially badly. I wish the team and the entire club the best of luck in the remaining games."

His replacement, Funkel, is someone who is used to the Cologne hotseat, having managed them twice before. His first spell saw him oversee their promotion to the Bundesliga in the second half of the 2002/03 season, before departing in October of that year.

He then took over on a temporary basis in March of 2021 with the side facing relegation from the Bundesliga, but couldn't stop their slide into the second tier despite recording four wins and one draw from his eight games in charge.

Upon his appoinment, the experienced coach with a record six Bundesliga promotions spoke of his determination to get over the line with the Billy Goats: "From now on, it's all about mobilising everything in the remaining two games, rediscovering our belief in our own strength, and achieving promotion together. I'm looking forward to the challenge and am convinced that we will achieve our goal."

It could, of course, end up being more than two games if Cologne end up finishing third. In that case, they will play two more fixtures in the play-off against the team that finishes 16th in the Bundesliga.

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