Borussia Mönchengladbach has appointed Rouven Schröder as its new sports director. The 49-year-old succeeds Roland Virkus and joins from Red Bull Salzburg. He urgently needs to address the coaching situation.
Borussia Mönchengladbach faces major challenges in the Bundesliga season. The club has now appointed a new sports director: 49-year-old Rouven Schröder, who succeeds Roland Virkus. Virkus resigned at the end of September following the poor start to the season and the sacking of coach Gerardo Seoane two weeks earlier.
Schröder joins from Red Bull Salzburg, where he had a long-term contract. Borussia must therefore pay a transfer fee, reportedly between 700,000 and 1.5 million euros according to media reports. He is the first sports director in 17 years without a Gladbach background. Previously, Schröder worked at SpVgg Greuther Fürth, Werder Bremen, FC Schalke 04, and RB Leipzig.
Borussia's CEO Stefan Stegemann praised Schröder: "Rouven Schröder possesses not only the experience but also the necessary competencies and communicative skills required for this demanding task."
Schröder's most urgent task is resolving the coaching question. Since Seoane's dismissal, Eugen Polanski, the actual U23 coach, has been leading the professional team on an interim basis. Polanski, long with the club, is to continue in this role according to the club's bodies. After the 0-0 draw against SC Freiburg before the international break, he stated he would remain in the position for now. He will also be on the bench on Friday against 1. FC Union Berlin.
Under Polanski, results have been mixed: A 1-1 at Bayer Leverkusen was followed by a 4-6 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt. Borussia is the only winless team in the Bundesliga, with their last league victory in March. Numerous injuries hamper the squad: Giovanni Reyna, Robin Hack, Franck Honorat, and top scorer Tim Kleindienst are out. The Gladbachers are grappling with relegation fears instead of the hoped-for mid-table position.