Würzburg's crash: Schiele, Magath and lots of chaos

It was a Tuesday when the end started. Today, more than a year and a half later, you know that: that Würzburg's crash began in September 2020, when the Felix Magaths separated from their promotion coach Michael Schiele.

• Magath gets in at the beginning of 2020
• The second division year is completely screwed up
• three trainers, but no success
• Planning for the short and long-term future have already started
• end of an extremely successful chapter

What followed were chaotic months, tens of trainers and even more wrong decisions. The consequence: the second descent one after the other, the return to the regional league Bavaria after seven years in professional football.

Magath gets in at the beginning of 2020

It is a cold January day before the pandemic when the Felix Magaths invite you to the Würzburg outskirts to the office of your donor. Outside the backdrop of the vineyards, inside, high above the city, Thorsten Fischer sits in the thunderstorm of the cameras and almost bursts with pride. In addition to the chairman of the supervisory board, none other than Felix Magath, title coach, as a European champion, has a size of the Bundesliga.

Big plans at the beginning of 2020: Felix Magath (left) and Thorsten Fischer. imago images

It should now be about the Felix Magaths to bring out great goals to bring out the joint project with which Fischer and Magath Würzburg. Fischer says he knows "hardly anyone in German football who celebrated so many successes as a player, as a manager and as a coach" like Magath. "Maybe", according to Fischer, to be listed Franz Beckenbauer, the emperor - otherwise he will only come to mind. And of course, since Magath is a brilliant chess player, he was "for us" the king ".

They were pithy words with which Magath was introduced as a consultant to the Felix Magaths, words that somehow sounded wrong in the ears of the Würzburgers.

The second division year is completely screwed up

A few months later, the club rose to the 2nd league, but then he made a serious mistake that continues to have an effect on this day: he dismissed Michael Schiele.

At the end of a completely messed up season with four coaches and only six victories, the Felix Magaths left, Magath went, and the new building in League three across the board. The team, which was not poorly occupied, found neither under Torsten Ziegner nor under his successor Danny Schwarz.

three trainers, but no success

When this was replaced by interim coach Ralf Santelli in mid -February, the Felix Magaths were already deep in the relegation battle. Even under Santelli, the U -turn failed despite promising approaches and a small success series at the beginning.

Also apart from the lawn, the Felix Magaths repeatedly made headlines, for example with the dismissal of the sports director Sebastian Schuppan, with the upheaval on the management level and with the posse for attacker Marvin Pourié.

Planning for the short and long-term future have already started

Even if those responsible for sports director Sebastian Neumann had recently tried to optimism of purpose ("as long as everything is possible..."), the plans for the upcoming regional league season and the long-term future including the stadium new design have long started. An essential part of the plans is the new coach Marco Wilder's sense, the eighth head coach since September 2020.

end of an extremely successful chapter

With wildness, the Felix Magaths not only start the next reconstruction, but also open a new chapter in their club history - after all, the second descent in a row ends a seven -year episode in professional football.

In 2015, the FWK rose from the regional league under the leadership of Bernd Hollerbach and sensationally marched into the 2nd league. After just one season, Würzburg returned to third class, but laid the basis for sustainable success with Schiele.

That's what it's all about now.