Status: 19.09.2021 3:22 p.m.
U21 coach Stefan Kuntz will be the Turkish national coach. The 58-year-old should quickly sign the contract as the successor to Senol Günes in Istanbul. The DFB has “a plan B”.
Stefan Kuntz
Image: Ina Fassbender / AFP POOL / dpa
The change from U21 coach Stefan Kuntz to the Turkish national soccer team is perfect. The board of the Turkish association TFF had reached an agreement with Kuntz, the TFF announced on Sunday (19.09.2021). The official signing of the contract should take place on Monday in Istanbul, the statement said.
Hamit Altintop, long-time Bundesliga professional and today’s national team manager in the TFF, had previously indicated the impending agreement. He is assuming “that we can introduce Mr. Kuntz in the next few days,” said Altintop.
Preferred candidate Kuntz
The 58-year-old Kuntz was considered the top candidate to succeed Senol Günes. Kuntz was the preferred candidate from the start, emphasized Altintop, who played in the Bundesliga for FC Schalke 04 and FC Bayern Munich as well as for Real Madrid: “The discussions, including with the DFB, were all flawless and very, very fair.”
The presidium of the German Football Association had unanimously decided to dismiss Kuntz from his contract as U21 coach, which runs until 2023, should he agree on a cooperation with the Turkish association.
DFB internal succession solution?
Kuntz’s contract with the DFB actually ran until 2023. The ex-national player had led the most important German junior team to the European Championship finals three times in a row and twice to the title since taking office in 2016. At the DFB, the time after Kuntz, who was twice European champion with the U21, is being explored. “We are prepared for this situation, we have a plan B,” said Meikel Schönweitz, head coach of the German U-national teams, the newspapers of the media group VRM on Saturday.
But he did not want to name a possible successor to Kuntz. An internal solution is under discussion, U20 coach Christian Wörns or U19 coach Hannes Wolf would be possible candidates.
Source: sportschau.de