DFB should listen up
Possible Flick successor Kuntz probably released in Turkey
September 17, 2023, 5:47 p.m
According to consistent media reports, Stefan Kuntz is no longer Turkey’s national football coach. The association has released the coach from his duties – he would now be free for the national coaching job. An official confirmation is still pending.
Stefan Kuntz is apparently no longer Turkey’s national football coach. This is reported by the government-affiliated news agency DHA. Accordingly, Kuntz was told on the phone that they would part ways. It was said that the contract with the German, which runs until after Euro 2024, would be terminated. The successor should be announced next week – world champion coach Joachim Löw is also considered one of the candidates, according to the DHA. There was initially no official confirmation of this.
The next task could follow for the 60-year-old Kuntz if he takes a leave of absence in Turkey: The German Football Association is looking for a national coach after the separation from Hansi Flick – the name Kuntz has been mentioned again and again recently. The European champion coach of the German U21 has a very good name in football Germany. The 1996 European champion had already been named as the successor candidate for long-term national coach Löw. Former Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann is also considered a possible successor to Flick.
Just like Germany (1:4), Turkey also recently lost a friendly against Japan. The Turks lost 2:4 on Tuesday. Just like Flick, the Japan defeat also seems to have thrown Kuntz out of office. The former professional signed a three-year contract as Turkish national coach in September 2021. It was said that his assistant coaches had not yet been informed about the separation from Kuntz.
The sporting results were pretty good
Kuntz’s sporting record in Turkey was still correct after Turkey missed qualifying for the World Cup for the tournament in Qatar in 2021 under his predecessor Senol Günes. The coach celebrated twelve wins in 20 games, but in the last home game in the European Championship qualifier against Armenia it was only enough to draw 1-1.
After the 2:4 in the test against Japan in Genk, Belgium, the association apparently lost patience, although the national team is in second place in European Championship qualifying group D with ten points after five games. This would entitle you to take part in the European Championships.
Kuntz was apparently unable to convince the association president Mehmet Büyükekşi, who according to media reports was not a supporter of the Neunkirchen native. He enjoyed more trust from the fans, thanks in part to a flattering inaugural speech. “Being here is like returning home,” the former Beşiktaş Istanbul striker said when introducing himself. “I want to become the most German Turk or the most Turkish German.”
The former CEO of 1. FC Kaiserslautern started his first job as coach of a senior national team with good recommendations. The German U21s became European champions twice under Kuntz, also thanks to the coach’s ability to form a real team out of many talents. In the sometimes emotionally charged environment of the Turkish national team, Kuntz may not have succeeded quite so well.