André Breitenreiter Explained

André Breitenreiter
Birth Date:2 October 1973
Birth Place:Langenhagen, West Germany
Height:1.82 m
Position:Attacking midfielder, striker
Youthyears1:1977–1984
Youthclubs1:Borussia Hannover
Youthyears2:1984–1986
Youthclubs2:Hannoverscher SC
Youthyears3:1986–1991
Youthclubs3:Hannover 96
Years1:1991–1994
Clubs1:Hannover 96
Caps1:72
Goals1:10
Years2:1994–1997
Clubs2:Hamburger SV
Caps2:71
Goals2:12
Years3:1998–1999
Clubs3:VfL Wolfsburg
Caps3:24
Goals3:1
Years4:1999–2002
Clubs4:SpVgg Unterhaching
Caps4:78
Goals4:18
Years5:2002
Clubs5:SC Langenhagen
Caps5:14
Goals5:3
Years6:2002–2003
Clubs6:Hessen Kassel
Caps6:13
Goals6:8
Years7:2003–2007
Clubs7:Holstein Kiel
Caps7:116
Goals7:15
Years8:2007–2009
Clubs8:BV Cloppenburg
Caps8:60
Goals8:9
Years9:2009–2010
Clubs9:TSV Havelse
Caps9:21
Goals9:6
Totalcaps:469
Totalgoals:82
Nationalteam1:Germany U16
Nationalcaps1:12
Nationalgoals1:8
Nationalteam2:Germany U18
Nationalcaps2:14
Nationalgoals2:4
Nationalteam3:Germany U20
Nationalcaps3:5
Nationalgoals3:3
Nationalyears4:1995–1996
Nationalteam4:Germany U21
Nationalcaps4:6
Nationalgoals4:2
Manageryears1:2011–2013
Managerclubs1:TSV Havelse
Manageryears2:2013–2015
Managerclubs2:SC Paderborn
Manageryears3:2015–2016
Managerclubs3:Schalke 04
Manageryears4:2017–2019
Managerclubs4:Hannover 96
Manageryears5:2021–2022
Managerclubs5:Zürich
Manageryears6:2022–2023
Managerclubs6:TSG Hoffenheim
Manageryears7:2024
Managerclubs7:Huddersfield Town

André Breitenreiter (born 2 October 1973) is a German professional manager and former player. Breitenreiter’s entire playing career was in his native Germany, appearing in both the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga for nine different sides.

As a manager, Breiitenreiter led SC Paderborn to promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time in history, as well as leading Schalke 04, Hannover 96 and TSG Hoffenheim in the top flight. He won the Swiss Super League for FC Zürich in 2021–22 and briefly led EFL Championship club Huddersfield Town in 2024.

Playing career

thumb|upright=0.6|left|Breitenreiter with TSV Havelse in 2009Breitenreiter played for Hannoverscher SC, Borussia Hannover, Hannover 96, Hamburger SV, VfL Wolfsburg, SpVgg Unterhaching, SC Langenhagen, Hessen Kassel, Holstein Kiel, BV Cloppenburg and TSV Havelse.[1] He played 144 Bundesliga matches scoring 28 goals and 101 2. Bundesliga matches with 14 goals.[2]

Managerial career

Early years and SC Paderborn

Breitenreiter started his coaching career in 2009 and worked as scout for Kaiserslautern. On 3 January 2011, he was appointed as head coach of TSV Havelse, club playing in Regionalliga Nord.[3] In 2012, he won Lower Saxony Cup with TSV Havelse. On 15 May 2013, it was announced that Breitenreiter would take over SC Paderborn starting in the 2013–14 season.[4] On 11 May 2014, his club gained promotion to Bundesliga for the first time ever in club's history. On 20 September 2014, after four undefeated games (two wins, two draws) in the German top tier, Paderborn was top of the league, ahead of European powerhouses Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen.[5]

Schalke 04

Breitenreiter became the 14th head coach for Schalke 04 in the last decade on 12 June 2015, signing a two-year deal with €500,000 being paid to Paderborn for his services.[6] His debut on 8 August was a 5–0 win away to MSV Duisburg in the first round of the DFB-Pokal,[7] followed a week later by a 3–0 win at SV Werder Bremen in his first league game.[8] His first campaign as a manager in European football ended in the last 32 of the UEFA Europa League with a 3–0 loss to Shakhtar Donetsk.[9] He left the club after a single season, having come fifth and qualified for the Europa League again, but falling short of club aims of reaching the UEFA Champions League.[10]

Hannover 96

Breitenreiter was appointed as the new head coach for Hannover 96 on 20 March 2017, replacing Daniel Stendel during a time of internal changes at the fourth-placed club.[11] On 1 April, he debuted in a 2–0 home win over 1. FC Union Berlin, ending a nine-game unbeaten run for the league leaders.[12] He finished his nine-game run to the end of the season unbeaten, winning promotion as runners-up to VfB Stuttgart.[13] He was sacked on 27 January 2019 after eight consecutive losses put the team second from bottom; his last result was a 5–1 loss at Dortmund, and he was replaced by Thomas Doll.[14]

FC Zürich

Breitenreiter took the first foreign job of his lifetime in the summer of 2021, taking over an FC Zürich side that had avoided relegation from the Swiss Super League on the penultimate matchday of the previous season. His team won the 2021–22 season by 14 points over FC Basel, playing a quick counter-attacking game; only two teams averaged less possession in the entire league.[15]

TSG Hoffenheim

In May 2022, Breitenreiter signed for TSG Hoffenheim, succeeding Sebastian Hoeneß on a two-year deal.[16] He was sacked the following 6 February 2023, with the club three points above the relegation zone.[17]

Huddersfield Town

On 15 February 2024, Breitenreiter was appointed head coach of English Championship club Huddersfield Town on a two-and-a-half-year contract. The team were in 20th, five points above the relegation zone.[18] Nine days later, his team came from behind to win 2–1 at Watford on his debut.[19]

On 10 May 2024, Breitenreiter left Huddersfield Town by mutual consent following the club's relegation to EFL League One; he had won two of his 13 games. Before his final game, he told BBC Radio Leeds that he would not have joined the club if he had been aware of "things and problems", alleging that they had spent pre-season playing golf and going to the pub.[20]

Coaching record

TeamFromToRecord
Havelse3 January 201130 June 2013[21] [22]
SC Paderborn1 July 201312 June 2015[23]
Schalke 0412 June 201514 May 2016[24]
Hannover20 March 201727 January 2019[25]
FC Zürich9 June 202130 June 2022[26]
TSG Hoffenheim1 July 20226 February 2023[27]
Huddersfield Town15 February 202410 May 2024
Total

Honours

Player

Hannover 96

1991–92

Manager

TSV Havelse

2012

SC Paderborn

Zürich

2021–22[15]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Breitenreiter, André . de . kicker.de . 29 January 2011.
  2. Web site: André Breitenreiter . de . fussballdaten.de . 29 January 2011.
  3. Web site: Breitenreiter wird Stoffregens Nachfolger . de . kicker.de . 29 January 2011 . 3 January 2011.
  4. News: 2. Fußball-Bundesliga: Breitenreiter wird neuer Trainer in Paderborn. 23 October 2014. Der Spiegel. 15 May 2013. de.
  5. Web site: Paderborn Erster! Mainz Zweiter! Hoffenheim Dritter! . de . kicker.de . 21 September 2014.
  6. News: Dunbar. Ross. Schalke appoint Andre Breitenreiter as head coach. 12 June 2015. Deutsche Welle. 12 June 2015.
  7. News: Und es heißt doch Schalke 0:5 . 24 April 2024 . Frankfurter Allgemeine . 8 August 2015 . German.
  8. News: Klasse Einstand für Breitenreiter: S04 siegt in Bremen . 24 April 2024 . Yahoo! . 15 August 2015 . German.
  9. News: Münch . Nadine . Schalke findet keine Mittel mit Shakhtar . 24 April 2024 . UEFA . 25 February 2016 . German.
  10. News: Breitenreiter to leave Schalke. 14 May 2016. Deutsche Welle. 14 May 2016.
  11. News: 96: Stendel muss gehen – Breitenreiter übernimmt. 20 March 2017. kicker. de.
  12. News: Hannover stoppt Unions Siegesserie . 24 April 2024 . German Football Association . 1 April 2017 . German.
  13. News: 96 feiert den direkten Wiederaufstieg . 24 April 2024 . Rheinische Post . 22 May 2017 . German.
  14. Web site: Bundesliga: Coach Andre Breitenreiter leaves Hannover . Deutsche Welle . 27 January 2019 . 27 January 2019.
  15. News: Roduner . Donat . Eggenberger . Chris . Success Story: How FC Zürich won the Swiss Super League . 24 April 2024 . Opta Analyst . 24 May 2022.
  16. News: Hoffenheim name Breitenreiter as manager . 11 May 2024 . Reuters . 24 May 2022.
  17. News: Struggling Hoffenheim sack manager Breitenreiter . 11 May 2024 . Reuters . 6 February 2023.
  18. News: Andre Breitenreiter: Huddersfield Town appoint new head coach . 11 May 2024 . BBC Sport . 15 February 2024.
  19. News: Howson . Dom . Andre Breitenreiter pays tribute to Huddersfield Town stars after 'special' Watford victory . 24 April 2024 . Examiner . 24 February 2024.
  20. News: Huddersfield boss Breitenreiter leaves after relegation . 11 May 2024 . BBC Sport . 10 May 2024.
  21. Web site: TSV Havelse. kicker.de. kicker. 23 October 2014. de.
  22. Web site: TSV Havelse. kicker.de. kicker. 23 October 2014. de.
  23. Web site: SC Paderborn 07. kicker.de. kicker. 23 October 2014. de.
  24. Web site: FC Schalke 04. kicker.de. kicker. 12 June 2015. de.
  25. Web site: Hannover 96. kicker.de. kicker. 20 March 2017. de.
  26. Web site: FC Zürich: Matches . Soccerway . Perform Group . 3 September 2021.
  27. Web site: FC Zürich: Matches . Soccerway . Perform Group . 3 September 2021.