The youngest professional football coach: “There was a big risk that I would get burned”

Ehe had no choice: when Tim Görner first announced his commitment to FSV Frankfurt, he was in a baby seat and was born just a few hours ago. He was taken from the hospital to the FSV department. There, Görner’s grandfather signed a membership application for his grandson. When Tim Görner says he was born a member of the club, he is not exaggerating.

One day, my grandfather took his son Mikhail, who is now the president of the FSV, to the stadium. Grandma still attends every home game today. There she sees her grandson gesturing, clapping, scolding and cheering on the sidelines.

Back in the German Cup

The 27-year-old athlete has been working as an FSV coach for over a year now. He is the youngest coach in German professional football. He took charge of the Regionalliga team when they were about to enter the Hessenliga. Since then, the club has undergone amazing changes. FSV finished this season in fifth place in the Südwestgruppe, two places ahead of Offenbacher Kickers, who have a much higher budget.

And last weekend, Frankfurt won the Hessen Cup and thus qualified for the first main round of the German Cup in August. For the first time since 2016. After years of regression and stagnation, FSV is back on the rise with Tim Goerner. The team benefits from their extreme cohesion, they have improved their fitness and made a lot of progress in terms of play. Now she can play different systems.

Flashback: In March 2022, FSV got stuck in the basement of a desk. Relegation would mean the loss of the youth academy. It’s a job, a livelihood. Thomas Brendel, formerly athletic director and interim coach in a personal union, is grasping at the last straw: he is offering assistant coach Tim Görner the job of head coach.

He has never coached an adult team. Tim Gorner has a few hours to weigh the pros and cons. “I think the risks outweigh that. There was a big danger that I would get burned.” That’s his age. Also, the fact that Mikhail’s father is the president of the club. Head bob in the environment seems predictable.

Chance

“Tim could have been a gravedigger too,” Brendel says. Görner has been with the club since 2016, looking after the U17 and U19 players before becoming Brendel’s assistant in the fall of 2021. “If I didn’t manage to stay in the league, everything I worked for could have been in vain,” says Tim Gorner.

Why did he risk it anyway? “It was also a great opportunity.” nine goals make up the difference in favor of the FSV. In the summer, Brendel cleans up the squad, divided into small groups: 19 players leave the club; first of all, talents from the region are attracted. Tim Gorner can go on.

Partially played in a frenzy

The start of the new season is bumpy; on the second match day, FSV loses 7–0 in Homburg. Gradually, however, the team adopted Görner’s playing philosophy. In the winter break, FSV is in eighth place in the table. “Back then we knew we had potential,” Görner says.

Before the start of the second half of the season, the team intends to score more points than in the first series – and sometimes get drunk. FSV remains undefeated in nine consecutive competitive games; leader Ulm even gets 4:1. Görner says his role as head coach has not changed.

Tim Görner was very successful with FSV Frankfurt last season.


Tim Görner was very successful with FSV Frankfurt last season.
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Image: Alliance photo / Eibner press photo

He considers interpersonal relationships one of his strengths: if he makes mistakes due to lack of experience, then he admits this to the team without any problems. “On the other hand, I will also clearly state: it was not tactics that mattered today. That’s when the boys realize it’s real.”

Thomas Brendel describes Görner as “very meticulous”; his teaching is engaging and relevant. In addition, many players would have played under Gorner in U17s or U19s. “It’s good that both the team and the coaching staff had a new start in the summer. There is little scorched earth left.”

others have more money

That was an advantage for Gerner, Brendel says. Görner will continue to coach FSV next season; He recently extended his contract. He says he doesn’t have a career card. His goal is a professional license, the last level of training that he still lacks as a coach and that will make him a football coach. With FSV, he wants to get back to the top third in a new round.

Brendel notes that some competitors in the league have more financial options. “If we continue to play in the regional league for the next few years, Tim will look at other options at some point.”

The first team Görner coached was Bambini from Germany Enkheim. He was then 16 years old. He later studied international management. For a long time being a football coach was just a hobby. You believe him when he says: “I did not renew my contract because I only speak FSV for life. But I see a perspective here and I believe that something can be achieved here.” Görner’s grandmother will probably sit in the stands again next season and watch him work with pride.


Source: Frantfurter Allgemeine

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