Bundesliga
Union coach Grote: Cooperation with Eta on an equal footing
Interim coach Marco Grote and assistant coach Marie-Louise Eta lead the training. photo
© Matthias Koch/dpa
Marie-Louise Eta is the first female assistant coach in Bundesliga history. Union coach Marco Grote doesn’t believe in a gender debate.
After Urs Fischer’s release, Grote and Eta lead the training at the Alten Försterei. It remains to be seen whether both can only form a short-term interim duo or even become a permanent solution. Grote said he was initially planning to go to Augsburg. “To be honest, I don’t know anything else. It’s not like I’m particularly interested in it,” said the Bremen native.
He and Eta know each other from their time together at Werder, and both then worked together at Unions U19. “I really appreciate her. She is a very open person and really enjoys this game and working with people. I really enjoy working with her and work very well with her,” said Grote.
Eta is the first female assistant coach in Bundesliga history. Grote has absolutely nothing to gain from a gender debate. “In the coaching locker room it’s all about fitting humanly. Whether someone is a little taller, maybe has a bigger stomach or what T-shirt they wear, long hair, short hair – I don’t give a damn.”