The Bundesliga managerial merry-go-round is in full swing. Borussia Dortmund announced the appointment of Borussia Monchengladbach head coach Marco Rose starting from next season. Die Fohlen have filled up the soon-to-be-vacant spot by appointing Eintracht Frankfurt’s Adi Hutter.
Hutter has signed a three-year contract with Gladbach following a sensational season with Frankfurt. The Eagles are currently fourth in the Bundesliga and are on course to qualify for the UEFA Champions League, ahead of both Gladbach and Dortmund.
Gladbach’s Sporting Director, Max Eberl, was delighted with Hutter’s signing, claiming him to be the best man to take the club forward.
“We’re delighted that Adi Hütter has agreed to join us. “He is the best coach to take on the challenges and goals that we have as a team and as a club from summer and beyond.”
Eberl said.
Meanwhile, Hutter explained his decision to leave Frankfurt to the club website, stating that it is not one which he has taken lightly:
“The decision to start a new chapter in the coming season was not one that I took lightly.”
“I’ve had three incredibly successful and intensive years here and I’ll be looking to help the team sign off at the end of this season in the best way possible. We have a historic opportunity in our grasp. The only thing that counts for me at the moment is Eintracht’s success. We want to maintain the points gap we have and qualify for the Champions League – it’s our overriding aim.”
The Austrian coach joined Eintracht Frankfurt ahead of the 2018/19 season from Swiss club BSC Young Boys. He led his team to a seventh and a ninth-placed finish, respectively, in his first two seasons at the club. Meanwhile, Hutter also coached Frankfurt to a UEFA Europa League semi-final in his first season, which they then lost to Chelsea on penalties.
However, Hutter could yet record his biggest achievement for the Eagles, should they finish in a UEFA Champions League spot this season. They are currently fourth in the league table, seven points ahead of Dortmund, with just six more matches left to play. Coincidentally, the next match they play is against Gladbach, Hutter’s future employers.
Gladbach have suffered from a disappointing season. The Foals qualified for the Champions League ahead of the 2020/21 season after finishing fourth in the league. However, a similar finish this season looks unlikely, with Marco Rose’s team currently eighth, thirteen points adrift of the final Champions League qualification spot.
While they suffered domestically this season, Gladbach did fare better in Europe. Pitted against Real Madrid, Inter Milan, and Shakhtar Donetsk, the Foals finished second in the group and progressed to the knockout stage. There they were drawn against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the round-of-16, who beat them 4-0 on aggregate across two legs.
Gladbach are not yet out of the UCL qualification race numerically. However, they require somewhat of a miracle to make it to the fourth spot before the season runs out. Frankfurt, on the other hand, remain favourites to finish in the top four. Not only are they seven points clear of Dortmund, but they are also just one behind Wolfsburg in third. The Eagles beat the Wolves 4-3 on the weekend to reduce the gap to a solitary point.
