TM maintenance, part 1

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VFB Stuttgart felt several times with a leg in the 2nd Bundesliga before having been able to rely on long -term success times in the past and a half year. What is possible thanks to the right decisions show the officials of the CEO Alexander Wehrle, the sports director Fabian Wohlgemuth and the head coach Sebastian Hoeneß, who inspired a new life in the Swabians.

In part 1 of the big interview on the transfers market, which is dotted with community questions, Wehrle talks about the sensational season last season, emotional departures, its « courageous » choice by Petit and Hoeneß, one of the sought -after coach and the trainer and the trainer and the effect of the Porsche entrance.

Transfer market: Mr. Wehrle, you are back at VFB for almost three years. His club was close to the abyss in 2023, then experienced a rapid increase with the finalist championship and the participation of the Champions League. Such a success for the difficult or even planned situation?

Alexander Wehrle: No, our goal in the summer of 2023 was to play a calm season as possible and to do nothing to do with the battle for relegation. If we had reached a solid 11th, 12th or 13th place, we would have been satisfied. We have not forgotten that there has been a lot of relegation battle in the last decade and that we have even come down twice (2016 and 2019; that is to say red.). In 2022, Wataru Endos was only shot in the 92nd minute of the 34th day of match and 2023, we only saved ourselves in relegation. No one could have imagined that we then play the most successful season for the points with 73. We had three points more than during the season of the 2006/07 championships, which was exceptional. If Bayer Leverkusen had not played such a sensational season, he could even have been on the championship. Many things were also possible in the DFB Cup, when we left in the quarter -final of Leverkusen.

Transfer market: An almost perfect season.

Wehrle: And all this after 27 transfer activities. We had borrowed many players with a purchase option, including Deniz Undav and Jamie Leweling as well as with Leonidas Stergiou and Anthony Rouault (sums going to Stade Rennes in winter; publisher’s note) of young players, whom we have All was able to hire in the summer of the summer of 2024. This shows that we are on the road during the team planning and acquired a prospect in the team.

Transfer market: We have managed in the TM community and have collected many questions with VFB fans. « Timesle1893 » would like to know: although the decisions of a CEO are not always directly in correlation directly with sporting success, are there certainly what they are particularly proud?

Wehrle: At a sporting level, it was certainly just to put us more widely and to make changes in management. He understood the signature of Fabian Wohlgemuth as sports director and with Christian Gentner (now sports director; that is to say ed.) To obtain someone who acts as a link. In addition, the clear way of planning the squad must be mentioned, which crosses all transfer periods. With Sebastian Hoeneß, we committed a coach who has a clear idea of ​​which player plays what role in the team, on the square and outside. The decisions of the staff Fabian Wohlgemuth, Christian Gentner and Sebastian Hoeneß were extremely important for the club. In addition, economic consolidation and equity forces with the World Trademark Alliance Mercedes and Porsche, the completion of the MHP arena and the positioning of the VFB in municipal society were superolled subjects.

Wehrle recalls the conditions in Cologne and talks about VFB outings

Transfer market: And the best decision?

Wehrle: Certainly, Fabian Wohlgemuth, Christian Gentner and Sebastian Hoeneß.

Transfer market: « Nicog22 » asks: Your time at 1. FC Köln (2013 to 2022) was critical of many fans. So, did you want to do a little different or better at VFB? Or were some supporters of the FC too strict with them?

Wehrle: We had taken over the 1st FC Köln 2013 with a negative capital of 12 million euros and built 38 million capital of this departure situation to Corona – without strategic partners and special effects. The club was in very good health at the time. We had to use funds provided for the future to stabilize equity for the future. It is difficult to understand that this is now partially presented retrospectively. Especially since the decisions at that time were not taken only by Alex Wehrle, but of course, all in coordination with the respective board of directors and the joint committee. Most were right, otherwise we could not have built 38 million euros in equity. And my last decision, shortly before leaving, it was to sign Steffen Baumgart with Horst Holdt, who moved into the conference league in 2022, for example with Marvin Schwäbe, Mark Uth and Dejan Ljubicic.

Transfer market: They told « kicker » in early December: « Some transfers, such as Hiroki Ito FC Bayern, announced themselves well before. Wataru Endo for FC Liverpool and Waldemar Anton, on the other hand, were also emotional transfers for me. Emotality on the one hand and rationality on the other hand do you direct the club?

Wehrle: The combination is important. Acting exclusively rationally in the emotional environment of a traditional club would not be effective. To be guided by emotions without lighting the report, nor. As a board of directors, we ensure global responsibility. And personal details Wataru Endo and Waldemar Anton must be separated.

Transfer market: Does that mean?

Wehrle: Wataru Endo was still ten months old and managed to realize a dream for life with the Premier League. For him, it was a unique chance that we did not want to prevent. Despite the duration of the short-term contract, we have generated significant transfer income (20 million euros; that is to say the editor-in-chief), and Liverpool resolved a subject in the defensive midfielder. So, in the end, it was a win-win situation. And yet, it was emotional because we lost our captain, who held us in the Bundesliga a year earlier. At Waldemar Anton, it was also emotional because it did not assume that he wanted to change. I can understand that many fans have been affected exactly like us. But for me, it was in the foreground that Waldi was a very important factor to obtain 73 points and become a runner. Just because he went, you shouldn’t forget your contribution this exceptional season. It wouldn’t be fair.

Transfer market: Who is the biggest luck for VFB: the sports director Wohlgemuth or the coach Hoeneß?

Wehrle: I always see the team. The two obligations were courageous at the time. When I obtained a sports director of the 2nd league with Fabian, some said: « What are the soldiers doing it? » I already knew him in my time, at that time, we negotiated on the transfer of a player. And in addition, of course, I discovered how he had acted as a sports director in Kiel and Paderborn. All of this seemed very positive. After several conversations, I was convinced that it corresponds to our orientation. We wanted to start again to form a team and not only sign some very good players.

Wehrle believes in the long hoeneß stay in VFB Stuttgart

Transfer market: What is the probability that Hoeneß is a VFB 2025/26 coach?

Wehrle: Questions about Sebastian’s future were already asked last spring. I see him as a price for his work that many is written and speculated about him. Of course, I understand that. For me, however, it is crucial what he tells us in a personal conversation. It is fully focused on VFB and completely integrated into the planning of the new season. With his contract extension, he clearly committed himself to VFB and I guess we will work with him for a long time.

Transfer market: « Justalittlethough » wants to know: What is the exact distribution of tasks in sports management? What activities perceive Wohlgemuth, the sports director Gentner, the director of the sports organization Markus Rüdt and the head of the department of license players Robin Trost?

Wehrle: Fabian Wohlgemuth supports the global responsibility of the sports area – in coordination with other members of the board of directors. We plan the strategic team with him, Christian Gentner and the head coach at regular intervals. Here, among other things, the question is discussed how we can integrate the players of the young area into the team. In his new role of the sports director, Christian Gentner is now more involved in transfers management. As in the past, Markus Rüdt is responsible for the administration in the license players area. Robin Trost completes the team and fills the gap that has reached the new role of Christian.

Transfer market: Due to the entry of Porsche, VFB, as they revealed at the end of 2024, has a « very stable situation ». The club can also « allow itself a little more risks ». « TF1893 » asks: What are the advantages of partnerships with Porsche, Mercedes-Benz and Jako? The LBBW Winamax also replaces the main sponsor.

Wehrle: Thanks to the entry of Porsche and other new partners, we no longer depend on the transfer income to the same extent. Of course, the VFB, like other clubs, will always give players because you move to a dynamic environment when you plan the team. But we can now design contracts from a position of strength. And whatever the qualification for international affairs, it is possible to make transfer expenses for the coming season. We have already been able to anticipate the new season in the interior defense which has just ended with central defense (with Finn Jeltsch and Luca Jaquez; that is to say red.). Overall, we have a good base for the transfer period in summer.

Part 2 will follow shortly: the boss of VFB Wehrle speaks to TM of the future transfer budget, the necessary exit clauses, the importance of the extension of Angelo Stiller, defects of the work of young people and the future of Swabiens.

Interview: Philipp Marquardt