He came, saw and got promoted. As interim Head Coach, Friedhelm Funkel helped 1. FC Köln to win the final two games and secure promotion back to the Bundesliga, as well as the 2. Bundesliga title. The club will enter the new campaign with a new coach, however.
“Today, we led very open and respectful discussions with Friedhelm Funkel. From the start, the talks were full of appreciation and held on eye-level,” said FC Sporting Director, Thomas Kessler. “To be transparent, we laid clear that in the framework of a responsible recruiting process, we would be having discussions with potential candidates. Friedhelm told us that he can fully understand the need for a such process for an important position but decided not to take part.”
Kessler thanked Funkel: “For his clear line and his services to 1. FC Köln, we are very thankful to him. That will not change in the future. We have agreed to stay in close contact in order to discuss how Friedhelm can bring his expertise to FC in the future.”
The 71-year-old head coach led 1. FC Köln to promotion after joining the club in February 2002. In early 2021, he returned and guided FC through the final six games of the season and the relegation play-offs to secure safety.