Official | Bayer Leverkusen appoint Kasper Hjulmand new head coach | OneFootball

Precisely one week since the sensational early sacking of head coach Erik ten Hag, Bayer Leverkusen have officially appointed Kasper Hjulmand their new head coach. The former Denmark national team head coach returns to the Bundesliga some 10 years after his last German top flight assignment at Mainz.

Hjulmand finds himself re-united with former Denmark assistant Ismael Camenforte, who does fitness consulting work with Bayer 04. Club sporting director Simon Rolfes referenced Camenforte’s involvement with the club as one reason who Hjulmand was appointed.

“We are very familiar with Kasper’s training methods,” Rolfes noted in a club statement. “Kasper has also gained some familiarity with out club in recent years. He will now work with our team to create a clear and dominant style-of-play.”

“A newly assembled and developing team such as ours requires clear guidelines,” B04 managing director Fernando Carro added. “They will benefit from Kasper’s transparent, communicative, and empathetic style.”

“It is an honor to be entrusted with such a team,” the new coach himself added. “Following the past outstanding successes, I am very motivated by the task of shaping the future of Bayer 04 Leverkusen with both proven and exciting new players.”

Analysis

Statements from Rolfes and Carro very much reflect the fact that they felt ten Hag possessed no clear vision for the team. Ten Hag’s own assessment of the personnel situation last weekend also counted as a case of a frustrated new head coach firmly putting his own foot in his mouth by insulting his bosses.

Hjulmand stands for forward defending, attacking, and possession-based football. He preferred to have the Danish national team play in a 3-4-1-2 or 3-4-2-1 formation. Bayer’s squad is geared towards the latter. His success with the Danish national team can leave no one questioning his qualifications.

Bundesliga reporters haven’t necessarily forgotten Hjulmand’s short and painful stint in charge of Mainz during the 2014/15 campaign, but to compare who Hjulmand was a decade ago with the man who has emerged since isn’t at all fair. This appointment engenders optimism.

For the moment, that’s all that’s truly relevant.

GGFN | Peter Weis