Motherwell have appointed ex-Austria Vienna manager Michael Wimmer as successor to Stuart Kettlewell.
The 44 year old German coach and his long time assistant Ahmet Koc will start work on receipt of a work permit. [Update - permit now secured!] The MFC website quotes the new manager,
“I’m ecstatic to be joining this football club.
“This is a hugely exciting club whose core values align with mine. Speaking to the board was insightful, and it was interesting to hear their vision.
“It’s not a club standing still, and I feel Ahmet and I can really help the football club move forward. We’re at a crucial segment of the season, with opportunities all around us.
“There will be no settling-in period. We will commit 100% of our efforts to producing an exciting football team that can achieve targets.
“I can’t wait to meet the supporters. The passion and enthusiasm are admirable, and it will be a huge contributing factor in our success going forward.”
He played for 14 years as a midfielder in the lower leagues in Germany before moving to management. His most recent jobs were as assistant and manager at Stuttgart and Austria Vienna.
An attempt to have him installed as manager at Bristol Rovers failed after a work permit was refused. Let's hope he has more success this time.
CEO Brian Caldwell said,
“It has been a long road to get to this point, but we felt taking our time and ensuring the data all matches up with what we wanted was crucial.
“They have a history of nurturing young players, which stems from their work in a top academy setup in Germany. They have known each other for 13 years, so they are really connected and have a strong working relationship.
“Coming from Germany, they are well acquainted with fan culture and fan ownership. We also feel this is a major positive, as it’s a significant factor around this football club. We’re proud to be fan-owned and community-driven; Michael and Ahmet will have a complete understanding of this.”
Good luck Michael and welcome to Fir Park.