In his final recreation as a 1 coach. FC Kaiserslautern, Friedhelm Funkel enters the DFB Cup last. “An excellent story” was written 43 years after his final with FCK.
On December 10, 2023, Friedhelm Funkel was in Fuerteventura. He celebrated his seventieth birthday with family and friends within the Canary Islands.
Arnd Zeigler interviewed the coach that day on his WDR present “The Wonderful World of Zeigler’s Football”. Funkel favored to take his time, he favored to speak about soccer, he was relaxed, he felt good at 24 levels, he loved his “retired life”.
Because Funkel did not have a job on the time. After about six months, he simply did not save 1. FC Kaiserslautern within the relegation of the 2nd league, led them to the cup last. On Saturday (May 25, 2024, dwell broadcast on sportschau.de) he and the “Red Devils” will face German champions Bayer Leverkusen.
“I’ve by no means been an outsider like on this recreation,” stated Funkel, who will go away the group after the sport to “dedicate himself extra to household and mates.”
Funkel: “That’s unbelievable”
Three years in the past, in April 2021, Funkel took 1. FC Köln as a “firefighter” eight video games and saved them from shedding within the Bundesliga. At the top of June, he made room for brand spanking new coach Steffen Baumgart. At that point, Funkel’s lengthy profession appeared to be over. Two-and-a-half years later, on his seventieth birthday, he was primarily out of contact with followers and golf equipment.
Faced with this, it’s stunning that Funkel is within the last of the DFB Cup as the first coach. FC Kaiserslautern. “Red Devils” stopped favorites 1. FC Saarbrücken and reached the ultimate in Berlin. “Unbelievable. Football writes superb tales,” stated Funkel on the ARD microphone after reaching the ultimate.
It is included within the thoughts
Review: In an interview with Arnd Zeigler, Funkel remembered his birthday and thus made his identify. Recently he was on the sidelines as knowledgeable a few times and he smelled “grass”. “That was good,” Funkel stated on the time after which defined that he might take the teaching job once more if there’s an investigation.
Indeed, that got here. In mid-February, after the twenty first recreation of the 2nd Bundesliga, the 1. FC Kaiserslautern employed Funkel as a coach. The Betzenberg group had simply slipped into the relegation zone and have been in severe hazard of relegation.
Already as a participant at Kaiserslautern
Kaiserslautern and Friedhelm Funkel are intently associated. Between 1980 and 1983, the participant from Neuss performed for the Palatinate within the Bundesliga – and was very profitable, as a result of Lautern was the highest membership on the time. In 1981, the damaging midfielder reached the cup last with Lautern, who misplaced to Eintracht Frankfurt. Funkel then gained the cup after 4 years with Bayer Uerdingen.
Funkel’s fifth last
Funkel has additionally reached the ultimate twice as a coach. However, he was defeated in 1998 by MSV Duisburg (1: 2 in opposition to Bayern Munich) and in 2006 by Eintracht Frankfurt (0: 1 in opposition to Bayern Munich). The last on May 25 shall be his fifth recreation.
When greater than 50 years
Funkel’s profession is already spectacular. He has been in skilled soccer since 1973, greater than 50 years. After his spells at Kaiserslautern and Uerdingen, he not solely coached MSV Duisburg, 1. FC Köln and Eintracht Frankfurt, but additionally Hansa Rostock, Hertha BSC, VfL Bochum, Alemannia Aachen, 1860 Munich and Fortuna Düsseldorf. And then once more Uerdingen and now Kaiserslautern.
As a participant and coach, Funkel has performed greater than 1,400 aggressive video games. He is the one coach in German soccer who has been promoted to the Bundesliga six occasions with a group enjoying within the second division. Funkel is subsequently thought of essentially the most profitable coach within the second division. The undeniable fact that he reached the cup last with Kaiserslautern in 1981 as a participant and 43 years later as a coach is spectacular.