Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg have parted ways with head coach Daniel Bauer and managing director Peter Christiansen as the club fights to avoid an historic first relegation from the top flight.
The decision was announced one day after a 2-1 home defeat to Hamburger SV, with former coach Dieter Hecking understood to be the frontrunner to take charge. A formal announcement is expected soon.
Bauer had taken over from Paul Simonis back in November, but results under the former U19 coach have been dire. Wolfsburg have lost nine of their 15 matches under his guidance and are now eight games without a win, making this the worst season the club has experienced since winning promotion back in 1997. They currently sit 17th in the table, staring down the prospect of dropping out of the Bundesliga for the very first time.
The mood among supporters has turned toxic. Fans vented their frustration during Saturday’s defeat with angry chants and pyrotechnics, and players were subjected to abuse from the stands. Captain Maximilian Arnold summed up the mood, describing the situation as one of pure frustration.
The problems had already been acknowledged from within. Following a heavy 4-0 loss at VfB Stuttgart the previous week, Bauer admitted the club’s structures, atmosphere, and culture were falling short of Bundesliga standards.
Sports director Pirmin Schwegler said the decision to make a change was far from straightforward, but that the club concluded a fresh spark was needed to secure survival.
Hecking brings familiarity with the club, having managed Wolfsburg between 2013 and 2016, a period during which they won both the German Cup and the Super Cup. However, his most recent role at second-division VfL Bochum ended in dismissal last September after he was unable to keep them in the Bundesliga despite being brought in specifically to prevent the drop. Sonnet 4.6
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