Following a 2:3 defeat to Hoffenheim, VfL Wolfsburg is giving coach Paul Simonis another chance in the match against Werder Bremen. Sports director Sebastian Schindzielorz and captain Maximilian Arnold back the Dutchman despite the ongoing crisis. The club wants to avoid yet another coaching change.
VfL Wolfsburg faces a tough decision after its recent 2:3 defeat (1:1) to TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga. Five days after the embarrassing cup exit against Holstein Kiel, the Volkswagen club lost another key home game. Over the past seven competitive matches, Wolfsburg has suffered six defeats, making any sporting progress hard to discern. Even the two goals by Mohammed Amoura against Hoffenheim failed to provide the team with security.
Nevertheless, sports director Sebastian Schindzielorz confirmed that Paul Simonis, the Dutchman hired just before this season, will get at least one more chance—in Friday evening's North derby at SV Werder Bremen. «I won't stop believing in it. I won't stop working on it,» Schindzielorz said about his collaboration with Simonis. «Guarantees are very difficult in this business. So I can only answer what the next step for us is. And that's Bremen. We're tackling that together!»
Captain Maximilian Arnold also voiced support for the coach: «We still have a very intense and very good exchange. I feel like he still reaches the team. We saw that today too.» Simonis himself reflected on his situation: «Last season I had a very easy season with many wins and the cup victory,» he referred to his debut at Go Ahead Eagles Deventer. «This is a difficult time. But my colleague told me: In these moments you learn a lot.»
The club wants to avoid another coaching change; Simonis is already the fifth head coach since Oliver Glasner's departure in 2021, following the Champions League qualification. The final decision rests with the supervisory board, which includes Volkswagen executives. Schindzielorz emphasized: «I haven't heard anything else. It's completely normal to have criticism when the results aren't there. Nevertheless, I feel we have a good exchange among ourselves and that we're trying to solve things together.»
In contrast, Hoffenheim's coach Christian Ilzer was under pressure six months ago after a 2:2 draw in Wolfsburg but now sits sixth after a third straight Bundesliga win.