Köln to bide time on coach decision as Wagner earns Kessler’s praise | OneFootball

Köln will not rush the appointment of a permanent coach, with sporting director Thomas Kessler declining to rule out continuing with interim René Wagner.

The Billy Goats lost their final home game to relegation-threatened Heidenheim, prompting boos from sections of the 50,000 crowd.

Kessler and captain Marwin Schwäbe urged calm. Wagner, 37, has taken six points from six matches since replacing Lukas Kwasniok on an interim basis to the end of the season.

"At the end of the day, he (Wagner) took over in a situation that was rough for us," said Kessler. "He stabilized our team as it’s now very quiet. It's a success that we stay in Bundesliga." He was speaking to DAZN.

Schwäbe said Wagner had built a strong rapport with the squad and put in place a clear, good structure, giving Köln reasons to keep working with him.

Kessler said, "I have commented very extensively on the topic this week." He ruled out naming the 2026/27 coach before next week's trip to champions Bayern. "Then, we'll sit down and analyse the whole season. But it is not only about the coaching issue. I feel absolutely no pressure about the timing of the decision."

Source: BuLi News