News Focus
- Ole Werner dismissed by RB Leipzig alongside assistants Tom Cichon and Patrick Kohlmann on Wednesday
- The 38-year-old achieved a club-record points haul during his first campaign in charge
- Werner published a LinkedIn statement criticising the timing of his sudden exit
- Jürgen Klopp and Oliver Mintzlaff made the decision to terminate his contract
- Leipzig are reportedly targeting Mallorca coach Martin Demichelis as replacement
RB Leipzig have dismissed head coach Ole Werner in a shock move that has left the 38-year-old unable to say goodbye to his players and colleagues. The German tactician lost his job on Wednesday despite guiding the club to third place in the Bundesliga and securing a spot in the Champions League.
Werner’s departure came alongside the removal of his assistant coaches Tom Cichon and Patrick Kohlmann. The decision was made by Red Bull’s head of football Jürgen Klopp and supervisory board chairman Oliver Mintzlaff. Klopp defended the choice by stating that the club must focus on future ambitions, even though Werner had performed well.
In a statement posted on LinkedIn, Werner explained that the sudden nature of his sacking prevented him from meeting the squad and staff personally. He described his time at the Red Bull Arena as “very positive” and highlighted that the board had asked him to change the team’s style and create a new hierarchy in the dressing room. He believes he succeeded in this task.
During his single season in charge, Werner collected more points than any previous Leipzig manager. His side won 20 matches and drew five of their 34 league fixtures. In his farewell message, Werner expressed gratitude towards sporting director Marcel Schäfer. However, he omitted any reference to Klopp or Mintzlaff.
This is not the first time Werner has left a job in controversial circumstances. He previously lost his position at Werder Bremen after declining to sign a contract extension. Reports now suggest that Leipzig want Martin Demichelis, currently in charge at Mallorca, to become their next head coach.