The big bang at Borussia Mönchengladbach: Sports director Max Eberl is about to leave the Foals and has asked for the termination of his contract, which is valid until 2026. There has been no statement from the club side so far.
According to Sky, Sport1, that he wants to resign as sporting director. Even more: Eberl’s departure is certain. The manager wants to and will end his era in Gladbach. Most likely already now in winter and not in summer.
The 48-year-old has worked at Borussia since 1999, first as a player, then as youth director, and from 2008 as sports director. Eberl is said to have already offered his resignation at the end of last year. It is possible that he will join a new club after a break. The outgoing sporting director is said to have received offers in the industry. One candidate could be RB Leipzig, which has not had a sporting director since the summer and the separation of Markus Krösche. Interesting detail: Since Eberl is resigning of his own accord, Borussia will only let the contract, which is valid until 2026, rest. A new employer in this period would therefore have to pay a transfer fee for Eberl.
Criticism of Eberl is growing
The fact is: In the past months, Eberl appeared to be struggling. After a strange appearance before the DFB Cup match at Hannover 96, when the sporting director reacted to questions in a conspicuously tight-lipped manner, he called in sick. In Hannover (0:3) and in the home match against Union Berlin (1:2) last Saturday, Eberl was not on the bench. He also did not comment publicly on the critical sporting situation of his club. It is conceivable that Eberl will cite personal reasons for his desire to leave. After all, there have been increasing rumblings behind the scenes in the recent past.
Criticism of his work increased significantly last year. In addition, rumours have been doing the rounds in the industry for some time that Eberl might have an interesting offer from another club. Either way, Eberl’s 13-year tenure at Borussia is coming to an end in the middle of an absolute crisis situation – and is hitting the five-time German champions right to the core.
Yet the extension of Eberl’s contract was not long ago. Shortly before Christmas 2020, the 48-year-old had extended his employment contract in the long term until 2026. At the time, Eberl spoke of “visions” that the club and he personally had, of “ambition and desire to win something with Borussia” – only 13 months later, all of this is wastepaper. Borussia is in its most difficult situation since its near-relegation in 2011, has to fear more than ever for its ability to stay in the relegation zone after the recent defeats and has to undertake the rescue mission without its experienced front man.
Eberl – master builder of success
In October 2008, Eberl had taken over the post of sports director. After difficult years and the relegation rescue in the 2010/11 season, the five-time German champions began to soar under Eberl’s sporting leadership. Gladbach established itself among the top teams in the league, entered the Champions League three times and played in the Europa League four times in the past few years alone.
Through good decisions at the coaching position and clever player transfers, Eberl became the master builder of success.
Eberl holds on to Rose, Gladbach squander Europe
Since February 2021, however, things have been going rapidly downhill in Gladbach. The announcement of coach Marco Rose’s departure heralded the sporting crash. This also caused criticism of Eberl’s work to increase. Although the team was in free fall for months, the sporting director held on to the highly controversial Rose. In the end, Gladbach frittered away their European Cup participation.
Misguided squad policy
Another point of criticism: the unsuccessful squad policy. Eberl also failed last summer to give the squad, which had been almost unchanged since 2019, the much-needed blood refreshment – although it should not be ignored that Corona abruptly changed the market situation in football and, to a particular extent, the economic situation at Borussia. There was a lack of money for the necessary restructuring of the squad, also due to the failed transfer of Marcus Thuram to Inter Milan in the summer. And after the end of the season, players of considerable market value such as Matthias Ginter and Denis Zakaria will leave on a free transfer. If they don’t switch at the last minute now in January.
Eberl invests in Hütter – success remains elusive
The failure to restructure the squad is one of the decisive reasons for the slump in the current season. The work of Rose’s successor, Adi Hütter, is also suffering as a result, and he himself is under a lot of pressure in view of the sporting downturn. Eberl invested a hefty 7.5 million euros and a lot of persuasion to get the Austrian away from Eintracht Frankfurt. So far without the hoped-for and expected sporting success. The Eberl era at Borussia Mönchengladbach – it is coming to an end.
