Borussia Mönchengladbach boss provides update on coaching search: “We have a lot to offer.” | OneFootball

Borussia Mönchengladbach sporting director Rouven Schröder remains confident that the club’s disastrous start to the Bundesliga campaign has not diminished its attractiveness to prospective head coaches. Speaking at Thursday’s pre-match press conference, Schröder confirmed that Gladbach’s search for Eugen Polanski’s successor has progressed to a small group of candidates.

For the moment, former Mainz head coach Jan-Moritz Lichte will oversee Saturday’s home fixture against his former club. Gladbach nevertheless hope to unveil a permanent replacement during the forthcoming international break. Despite sitting on zero points after three league fixtures, Schröder insists he has encountered no shortage of interest.

“You can clearly sense on the coaching market that Borussia can be an attractive employer,” Schröder said. “Even with zero points, we have something to offer. I think that we, as Borussia, are also allowed to think big and try things that perhaps don’t appear feasible at first glance.”

Gladbach’s summer rebuild remains part of the sales pitch

The results unquestionably make for grim reading. Gladbach opened the season with a 3-0 defeat away at RB Leipzig before somehow surrendering a 3-1 lead in a 4-3 home loss to newly-promoted Elversberg. Captain Tim Kleindienst subsequently urged his teammates to “watch less TikTok” and maintain their concentration. A 5-0 defeat away at Freiburg then left Borussia with three goals scored, 12 conceded and the worst three-match start in the club’s Bundesliga history. Polanski’s departure was confirmed the following day.

The collapse has been particularly frustrating given the amount of work Schröder completed over the summer. As examined extensively in GGFN’s 2026/27 Borussia Mönchengladbach tactical preview, the sporting director elected to retain Polanski after last season’s relegation battle while rebuilding both the coaching staff and squad around him. Eleven new players arrived and a return to a back four formed a central part of the intended tactical reset.

Schröder also moved aggressively when circumstances changed late in the window. After Nico Elvedi departed following eleven years at the club, Gladbach quickly brought former defender Ko Itakura back to Borussia-Park. The late acquisition of former Celtic winger Nicolas Kühn added another attacking profile to a squad already containing several interesting younger pieces.

Hugo Bolin offers perhaps the best example of the sort of talent Schröder has accumulated. Gladbach secured the promising Swedish international last February before the 23-year-old emerged as one of the few bright spots in the opening weeks of the new season. The new coach will therefore inherit problems, but hardly an empty cupboard.

Schröder narrows search to ‘two or three’ candidates

“We naturally establish parameters for what the coach needs to provide,” the 50-year-old explained. “Then you notice relatively quickly that a very large number of candidates becomes a relatively small one. Then there is a small group, a final list and, at the end, a very, very small list of candidates with whom you speak personally.”

According to Schröder, that process ultimately leaves “two to three” serious options.

The sporting director wants a coach who understands both the league and the existing squad while arriving with a convincing plan for how to extract more from the players already assembled.

Tedesco again linked with Gladbach

One potentially ambitious option is former Schalke and RB Leipzig trainer Domenico Tedesco. Sport Bild reports that Tedesco was already discussed internally in May before Schröder ultimately elected to continue with Polanski. The 41-year-old has since become available again following an extremely brief spell with Bologna.

No talks between Schröder and Tedesco have reportedly taken place yet, though the German tabloid claims the two maintain a good relationship and contact could quickly follow should Tedesco be prepared to return immediately to coaching. Schröder declined to discuss specific candidates but made clear that Gladbach should not automatically restrict themselves to the most obvious or inexpensive options.

“What matters in the end is that we find the right coach for Borussia,” Schröder said. “One day more or less doesn’t matter. It’s about the coach fitting us, knowing the league and our squad and having an idea of what is possible and how to get more out of it.”

Former Hannover trainer Christian Titz has also been linked with the vacancy, though reports surrounding his candidacy remain contradictory. RevierSport has described Titz as a serious option, while Rheinische Post and Sport Bild have indicated that no advanced negotiations are presently underway.

Schröder confirmed previous contact with Titz but cautioned against reading too much into such exchanges.

“You call and meet with many people in my job to talk about football,” Schröder said. “That doesn’t always have to mean something concrete.”

Gladbach refuse to rush appointment

“As far as the current state of affairs is concerned, we’re satisfied,” the sporting director said. “We can assume that we’ll present a new coach during the international break. But it really is about finding the right coach. One day more or less doesn’t matter.”

That patience represents a notable position for a club already operating under considerable pressure. Last season’s problems were serious enough that GGFN’s relegation assessment questioned the long-term viability of the existing coaching arrangement. Polanski eventually survived and received the summer preparation Schröder felt he required, only for the intended reset to collapse within three league matches.

Gladbach cannot afford to get the next appointment wrong.

GGFN | Peter Weis