Hoffenheim prepare to dismiss head coach Christian Ilzer after the season

Despite the fact that Hoffenheim were among the winners in Saturday’s afternoon kickoffs, it looks to be the case that head coach Christian Ilzer won’t be around beyond the season. Hoffenheim took a big step towards avoiding relegation with a 2-0 home win over Mainz. Now on 30 points with five match days remaining, Ilzer’s Kraichgauer need only five more to reach the “35 point” threshold considered a guarantee of Bundesliga safety. 

Ilzer’s performance nevertheless doesn’t inspire confidence within club management. Kicker reports that the rift between players and coach effectively leave the TSG front office leaning towards installing Paderborn head coach Lukas Kwasniok after the season concludes. The impending move mirrors the dismissal of Alfred Schreuder near the end of the 2019/20 campaign. At that time, Hoffenheim already had Sebastian Hoeneß lined up to take over. 

Recent statements by the players appear to suggest that few leaders in the locker room retain faith in Ilzer. Andrej Kramaric – who gave a famously vitriolic post-match interview earlier this calendar year – wasn’t at all satisfied yesterday despite scoring both goals in the win. Other key players such as squad captain Oliver Baumann and Dennis Geiger haven’t been shy about sharing their feelings this season either. 

“This is only my second or third interview this season,” Kramaric – as quoted by Kicker “- said Saturday. “It’s no coincidence that I speak so rarely. I always speak honestly. And the reality is that there’s much better we for the club. I think we deserve a lot more.”

“This wasn’t much of a win,” Kramaric continued. “[Offensively] it wasn’t deserved. We defended well. We took advantage of two good opportunities and scored two goals. And in the end, the most important thing is the three points and surviving this year.”

GGFN | Peter Weis