Kicker reports that VfL Wolfsburg sporting director Pirmin Schwegler may come to his Bundesliga club’s aid as an assistant coach as the relegation fight heats up. The 38-year-old’s playing days are not necessarily far behind him. Schwegler – a 14-times-capped Swiss international – only hung up his cleats after spending the 2019/20 campaign representing Western Sydney Wanderers in the Australian A-League. 

Wolfsburg still backing head coach Daniel Bauer for now

Even after yesterday’s highly disappointing Bundesliga defeat, Germany’s green company team appear to have zero appetite for a coaching change. Both the Wolfsburg bench and the VfL front office have already undergone extensive changes this year. Schwegler only just took over the sporting director role from the sacked Sebastian Schindzielorz a little over two months ago.

As reported by Get German Football News in a recent feature piece on Wolfsburg, the Lower Saxon Autostädter also wish to stick with embattled managing director Peter Christiansen at least through the end of the season. With so many changes already implemented, Wolfsburg simply do not wish to create any further administrative chaos. 

Schwegler’s move to the bench not unprecedented 

It’s not entirely uncommon for Bundesliga administrators to move to the bench in order to assist their team. In point of fact, Schwegler’s predecessor also worked as an assistance alongside previous head coach Ralph Hasenhüttl for a time. Wolfsburg found themselves unexpectedly rocked by former managing director Marcel Schäfer’s decision to resign his position ahead of a switch to RB Leipzig in April 2024. 

Schindzielorz and Hasenhüttl banded together to help coach a team that was also facing relegation at the time. The duo were able to help a team sitting in 14th place secure nine points over the final six matchdays of the season and finish four points above the promotion-relegation playoff spot. The VWers shall certainly be hoping for similar returns with this familiar move.