Soccer

Red Bulls hire ex-Bundesliga manager Sandro Schwarz as head coach in club overhaul

The New York Red Bulls are turning to a former Bundesliga manager to take over theဣ club’s vacant head coaching job.ꦡ 

Sandro Schwarz was named the Red Bulls’ next head coach on Thursday a month after the club relieved interim coach Troy Lesesne from the role at the🦂 end of the MLS season. 

The 45-year-old, whose most recent coaching venture had been with Hertha Berlin, is the 20th coach in the franchise’s history dating back to its inception inജ 1996 as the New York/New Jersey MetroStars. 

“We are very pleased to welcome Sandro [Schwarz] to the club,” Head of Sport Jochen Schneider said in a statജement. “Sandro is a great leader that fits our culture and his head coaching experience i🎃n Europe fits with what we are trying to accomplish. We are excited to get him here and begin to work towards success in 2024.”

Schwarz spent one year as H♍ertha Berlin’s manager before they let him go in April as the club 𝓰teetered on relegation in the Bundesliga. 

Berlin's head coach Sandro Schwarz shouts during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Hertha BSC Berlin and FC Bayern Munich.
Berlin’s head coach Sandro Schwarz shouts during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Hertha BSC Berlin and FC Bayern Munich. AP

Before that Schwarz, who had a playing career that spanned from 1998 to 2009, had been the head coach of FC Dynamo Moscow of the Russian Premier League and another Bundesliga club, Mainz 0✅5. 

His two seasons at the helm of Dynamo Moscow have proven to be 🐽the most su൲ccessful of his coaching career thus far, recording 32-17-8 and leading the club to its first Top-3 finish in 14 years.

“I look forward to joining the club and getting start🍨ed soon,” Schwarz said in a statement. “I have a lot of motivation to accomplish many great things with this club and I am excited to get to work for the upcoming season.”

While the Red Bulls have consistently made the playoffs and extended their MLS-best playoff streak to 14 this past s▨eason, the club has yet to capture a league title. 

Local rival NYCFC captured the MLS Cup in 20🍌21 in just its seventh season of existence.

The Red Bulls dealt with plenty of issues last season, which included early struggles finding the back of the net, the suspension of designated player Dante Vanzeir for the use o🌌f racist language during an April match and the firing of head coach Gerhard Struber. 

Lesesne did help usher the Red Bulls in🦹to the postseas꧃on, but the club was eliminated in the first round. 

Following the season, Schneider promised sweeping changes to the club as i♊t hopes to finally take the next step.&nbs🐈p;

Sandro Schwarz of Berlin speaks to Fourth Official Christian Leicher (L) during the Bundesliga match between TSG Hoffenheim and Hertha BSC.
Sandro Schwarz of Berlin speaks to Fourth Official Christian Leicher (L) during the Bundesliga match between TSG Hoffenheim and Hertha BSC. Getty Images

“We are proud of the run that we made it now 14 times in a row into the playoffs, but let me say this clearl🐓y: Th𝔉is is not good enough,” Schneider told reporters last month during the exit interviews.

The Red Bulls have already begun making changes, trading away Dru Yearwood and Tom Barlow, parting ways with longtime sporting director Denis Hamlett and adding Swജedish international midfielder Emil F🌠orsberg.

ꦐNow Schwarz 🐎is the latest move for the MLS club. 

“We w🔴ant everyone to feel right from the start that my st📖aff and I will work for this club with heart, brain and passion,” the new coach said.