Manfred Schmid is the new coach of the Bundesliga soccer club Wolfsberger AC. One day following the separation from Robin Dutt, the Carinthians announced on Monday the commitments of the 52-year-old, who had looked following Wiener Austria in the fall.
“For me personally, it’s an exciting new challenge. I’m looking forward to being back on the pitch every day and working with the players,” said Schmid. The Viennese was released from Austria following the autumn season due to “differences of opinion”.
Now he is leading the WAC, which missed out on qualifying for the champions group for the first time, in the qualifying group in the fight for relegation and the last chance for a European Cup ticket. After two rounds in the basic round, the decisive championship phase begins at the end of March following the points have been shared. “There’s no time for big experiments,” says Schmid. “The first goal must be to stabilize the team. I am aware that the club is in a difficult situation, so it will be all the more important to find the right track and deliver quickly.”
For Schmid, Wolfsberg is the second station as head coach in the upper house. Before his engagement at Wiener Austria (from summer 2021) he was Peter Stöger’s assistant coach in Austria’s championship season (2012/13) and then also in the German Bundesliga at 1. FC Köln (2013-2017) and Borussia Dortmund (2017/18) before returning to Cologne in various positions. He gained his first coaching experience as head coach of the then second division club Schwanenstadt and Austria Amateurs. As a player, Schmid played almost 300 competitive games for Austria between 1989 and 2002 and won the championship three times.
“I am happy to have found a trainer for the WAC in Manfred Schmid, who has already gained valuable experience both nationally and internationally,” said WAC President Dietmar Riegler. “He’s proven that he can develop young players and that’s why he fits in perfectly with our philosophy. I’m sure he’ll use the right stimuli to get the team back on the road to success as soon as possible.”
After the disappointing start to 2023 with four defeats in five competitive games, WAC parted ways with Dutt.