Former Union Berlin ‘cult captain’ Sebastian Bönig prepares to coach Bundesliga match | OneFootball

With head coach Steffen Baumgart suspended, former 1. FC Union Berlin player Sebastian Bönig will take the reins for the club he once represented in the German lower divisions this coming Sunday. The now 44-year-old captained Union way back when (before the founding of the 3. Liga even), they were only supported by a small group of East Berlin diehards. Bönig never got a chance to represent Union in the 2. Bundesliga.

Baumgart’s ejection from last weekend’s league victory over Eintracht Frankfurt will leave him unable to coach against his former club Hamburger SV this weekend. It was perhaps the desire to minimize any potential further distractions that Bönig was permitted to appear as the face-of-the-team at the Friday pre-match press conference.

As of yet, there’s no word on what Baumgart will be doing on Sunday. It might be the case that (as was once done in Baumgart’s Köln days) that the club will engage in a publicity stunt filming Baumgart from home. It could also be the case that – like the last time Baumgart was suspended with Union – the 53-year-old will be keeping a low profile.

In any event, Bönig appeared totally up to the task. Both Bönig and Baumgart are actually former Union players, though their time didn’t overlap. Bönig joined die Eisernen in the summer of 2004, just after Baumgart departed the relegated 2. Bundesliga outfit. Bönig captained and remained with Union during dark years in the third and fourth tiers.

It was only when Union finally found their way back to the 2. Bundesliga ahead of the 2009/10 season that Bönig was deemed to no longer have a role with the club and his contract not renewed. After taking a little break from football, Bönig finished off his career playing semi-pro ball with Tempelhof’s Viktoria Berlin. Bönig has been working with Union in one administrative/coaching capacity or another since 2014.

Among those who supported FCU during their own semi-pro days Bönig will always maintain cult status. Bönig – who once led the cheers before the Kurve at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei – beamed with excitement at the press conference.

“I’m really happy to be here,” Bönig said on Friday. “I’m here after the coaching team sat together and we had several collective discussions. Obviously, it was head coach Steffen Buamgart’s decision [that I coach the team]. I’m looking forward to the task. It’s my first time in this role.”

“Good question,” Bönig would later answer in response to a question as to how excited he was. “I’m excited about every game equally, but this is the first time that I’m standing front-and-center.

“Of course, the match-day discussions are still led by Steffen,” Bönig continued. “He’ll be with the team until 30 minutes before kickoff and will be there again 30 minutes after full time.

“Every Union game is still something special for me,” Bönig concluded. “There’s nothing better than Union.“

GGFN | Peter Weis