Relegation-threatened FC Augsburg will continue to roll with head coach Manuel Baum through the end of the current season. The Bundesliga outfit officially confirmed that Baum – who left it open as to whether he would remain in charge during his last press conference – has signed a six-month-contract that leave him in charge through May 2026.

In three matches in charge of Augsburg since taking over for the sacked Sandro Wagner, Baum has helped the Fuggerstädter pick up four points from three league fixtures. Augsburg presently sit just above the promotion-relegation playoff-spot, in 15th place on 14 points. Currently, FC St. Pauli occupy the playoff spot on 12 points. 

Augsburg now the third Bundesliga club to sign an interim head coach

Baum becomes the third interim head coach to unexpectedly receive a permanent appointment during the current 2025/26 season. Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Eugen Polanski and VfL Wolfsburg’s Daniel Bauer were also originally envisioned as temporary placeholders, yet ended up landing the job thanks to manner in which their helped their teams. 

Bauer and Polanksi benefited somewhat from the fact that both Gladbach and Wolfsburg also fired their sporting directors at the same time they sacked their head coaches. In Baum’s case, he was originally brought back to the Augsburg front office this past summer to work as the academy director. Baum previously coached Augsburg between 2016 and 2019. 

Augsburg fans did lobby for his appointment. Baum still insists that he wishes to return to the academy this summer after (ideally) successfully helping Augsburg avoid the drop. Since his disastrous stint in charge of Schalke, Baum continued his career as a youth academy director at RB Leipzig.

Augsburg’s management convinced of Baum

“We are convinced that Manuel Baum is exactly the right coach for our FC Augsburg in the current situation,” FCA Managing Director Michael Ströll noted in a club statement. “He has our full confidence and we are very pleased that Manuel has agreed to continue in the role until the end of the season. He has done a very good job since taking over our team at the beginning of December. We want to build on that together in 2026.”

“The performances under Manuel Baum give us faith in a successful season,“ FCA sporting director Benni Weber added. ”Manuel is also a perfect fit for our approach of developing the team and giving young players the confidence they need. He has already proven this successfully in the past.“

“I have really enjoyed working with our team,” Baum himself said. “That’s why I’m delighted to be head coach of FCA for a little longer. Ultimately, it will be important for me to be able to return to my original position. Until then, we will do everything we can together after the short winter break to have a successful season.“