Danny Röhl, Hansi Flick’s long-time assistant at FC Bayern and the DFB, is taking on a new job. It’s the long-awaited head coach post.
It was actually supposed to be a family holiday last week. But an hour before departure, Danny Röhl (34) received a call from England, so the football coach had to change his plans.
Family sent on holiday – and then off to London
Röhl still brought his family to Turkey and then immediately flew on to London to talk to the officials of the English second division club Sheffield Wednesday about an engagement since Friday last week. An agreement was reached: The German football coach and the traditional English club with its owner at the helm agreed to work together. The necessary work permit in England was granted on Friday morning.
Röhl sees his new task as “definitely a great challenge” after his dismissal at the DFB – the association easily terminated the contract which is still valid until 30 July 2024 – and emphasises: “I stand by courageous decisions.” Sheffield Wednesday currently occupy last place in the Championship, as England’s second division is known, seven points behind 21st. The promoted side have failed to win in 11 games, with three draws and eight defeats so far.
Röhl has nevertheless identified approaches for improvement in match and video analyses and has already drawn up player profiles. “The club has a great tradition,” he says, 25,000 spectators and more come to the games. “There is the typical English atmosphere in the stadium,” says Röhl, “returning to England was always my dream. “
In the 2018/19 season, the football coach, who also studied sports science and holds a master’s degree in match analysis, worked under head coach Ralph Hasenhüttl at Southampton FC, so he knows the English language, the knowledge of which he has expanded via language course. He will start in a team with four co-coaches, three German and one domestic.
Röhl sees his next professional assignment as “the opportunity to take a good step in my career”, the position of head coach “was always my big goal”. He is now taking on this main role for the first time; before that he had always been active as an assistant, first in the youth sector of RB Leipzig, before Hansi Flick brought him to his side, from 2019 to 2021 at FC Bayern, then with the national team. There, the dismissal took place on 10 September.
It can only be about staying in the league
This Monday, things will now get underway. The first game against Watford FC is a crucial one: The opponent is in 20th place with 10 points and thus almost within reach. It goes without saying that the only goal for Sheffield and their new manager Röhl is to stay in the league, given the current situation.