Augsburg's search for a sporting director: Will Paderborn's Weber succeed Jurendic?
Sandro Wagner has been appointed Jess Thorup's successor as coach. FC Augsburg is now also moving forward with the search for a new sporting director.
A candidate in Augsburg: Paderborn's current sports director Benjamin Weber. IMAGO/Ulrich Hufnagel
The fundamental consideration at FC Augsburg is how many shoulders the workload in the sporting area should be distributed across. Therefore, the names of Marc Lettau and Manuel Baum remain hot, but in different roles. Lettau (most recently with Bochum) as a potential squad planner, Baum in a role in the youth development department.
The key personnel issue revolves around the successor to Marinko Jurendic. The Swiss sporting director, like Thorup, had to leave following the review of the season. He had held the position since August 2023, and even the third-best season in FCA's Bundesliga history in terms of points didn't help either him or Thorup.
Benjamin Weber, currently the sporting director at SC Paderborn, has definitely become the target for Jurendic's job. The 42-year-old took up his post there in January 2023, and his excellent work has not gone unnoticed by the bosses at FC Augsburg, especially since Weber brings with him an exciting CV.
Long in Tuchel's coaching teamBefore his time in Paderborn, Weber worked for a long time in Thomas Tuchel's coaching team - as a video analyst at Mainz, Borussia Dortmund, Paris St. Germain and Chelsea FC, where he was able to celebrate winning the 2021 Champions League as part of the team.
Sandro Wagner takes over as coach of FC Augsburg. Kicker reporter Mario Krischel explains what kind of football Julian Nagelsmann's current assistant coach represents and why his appointment represents both an opportunity and a risk. Also: Bayer Leverkusen and Erik ten Hag - are they a good fit?
A move to FCA isn't a given, especially since Weber is under contract in Paderborn and would cost a transfer fee. Is it a question of money? And what does Weber want, having settled in Paderborn after his years of traveling under Tuchel? SCP would likely at least balk at having to find a new sporting director after a new coach.
FCA, on the other hand, is very well informed about Weber's work. He's doing a very good job in Paderborn, where five U20 internationals are under contract. Aaron Zehnter , a left-back who came through the FCA youth system, was likely released prematurely. And FCA wants to place greater emphasis on its own young talent in the future. It's only logical that Weber has therefore appeared on their radar.
kicker
