It wasn't getting a lot of traffic anyway, so your thread acts as a "bump" Seltzer with a teaser on a future interview: http://www.noshortcorners.com/2011/03/few-things_23.html #10 - This just in (my brain): It has come to my attention that good ol' Joe Enochs has been promoted to first team manager at his beloved Osnabrück - a place near and dear to my heart, as well. I am considering this mega-monster news (unless someone can remind me of some other American manager to take the reins at a level this high), and will of course get him on the horn ASAP. Awesome news.
Here is translated section of an article from the club website: http://www.vfl.de/news/news/article/vfl-trennt-sich-von-trainer-karsten-baumann.html U23 Trainer Joe Enochs will take over as head coach on an interim basis. The 39 year-old "record player" for VfL Osnabrück took part in 376 games between 1996 and 2008 and took over as coach of the U23 team after he retired. The U23s are currently first in the Lower Saxony Oberliga (http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/amateure/oberliga-niedersachsen-fb-1/2010-11/27/0/spieltag.html) "We need a positive impulse - in the stadium, on the field and how the team is addressed. Joe Enochs showed as a player that he never gives up - he is an absolute identification figure with this club," said Sport Director Lothar Gans at Monday's press conference. "He has also shown in the last two years that he can lead a team to success." Why an internal solution: "We are a critical time in the season and need somebody who knows the team, doesn't need to explained the details of what is going on and who can take action quickly. Joe is the right man for the job." "I have a lot of respect for this position and know that I have a lot of responsibility," explained Enochs. "But I am ready to give the job at hand my all and am convinced we will be successful in the end." Osnabrück are currently 16th in the 2. Bundesliga. http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/2bundesliga/spieltag/2-bundesliga/2010-11/spieltag.html
This is great news! Only problem is, Buddle's team are now direct rivals with Joe's for relegation. Hopefully both teams can pull something out of the hat
i would pull for Joe over Buddle anyday. This is rather big news as he is the is first American coach in Europe (real US coach)
Not even the only one in Germany. Steven Dooley, brother of Tom Dooley has coached a couple teams and there is a coach in the Bundesliga whose name I cannot remember that has an American military father.
Magath's dad was in the American military, but I believe Felix is estranged from him and doesn't consider himself a Yank in any way.
Steven's never coached a 2nd Bundesliga team, U23 was his highest. Brent Goulet coached a Regionalliga club, Elversberg.
Unfortunately Joe does not have a "Fußballlehrerlizenz", which is a license necessary for coaching a professional club team in Germany. Therefore he is allowed to be the head coach for 3 weeks only. The club is in touch with the DFB (german FA) to solve this problem but I think it's highly unlikely that they will grant exemption.
Seven months, and the course has to be taken at the DFB's academy at Cologne. However, it is possible that a coach (as Enochs was coaching Osnabrück's reserves he must have a coaching license already, just not the one that allows to coach pro teams) can get an exception and coach a team while he is taking the course. He would have to travel between Osnabrück and Cologne then, but it's possible to achieve and has been done before.
Didn't Babbel coach without one? PS. It's too bad van Buskirk did not stay there but he is coaching in the US now.
As far as I know, this is only possible for people already having a "A-Lizenz". Unfortunately, Joe does only have the "B-Lizenz" (obtained in November 2010), so he has to get the "A-Lizenz" first. He would not have to travel to Cologne for that one, but there is this stupid rule that one has to have the "B-Lizenz" for at least one year before being allowed to get the "A-Lizenz". It's all so very german...
John Murphy was the manager at Livingston in Scotland a couple years ago. Don't believe they were in the SPL at the time though.
So he already got exception to coach the reserves? Normally you need the A-License to coach Oberliga. Anyway, Torsten Lieberknecht became coach of Eintracht Braunschweig in May 2008, he was a youth coach before and only had the B-License. He made his A-License in August 2008, and between 2009 and 2010 the Fußballlehrerlizenz (as the 3. Liga is a professional league the same rules apply as in the 2. Bundesliga, the highest level you can coach with an A-License is Regionalliga, afaik [unless it's youth soccer]). However, he might need an assistant coach with the required license.
I think I've read in the local newspaper that a B-License is sufficient for teams of Oberliga level and below, but I might be mistaken. The Lieberknecht-example, however, is encouraging, maybe we can do it the same way with Enochs.
Seltzer talks to Joe. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/postcard-europe-enochs-osnabrück-coach As for a chance at keeping the post, Enochs clearly is not so much as expecting one. "I still need two more years of experience," he stated. "I have my B-license. I'm looking to get my A-license later this year, but it's still not the proper license." Even if demoted after the season, the former Osnabrück skipper will gladly step back into his U-23 coaching role and wait until earning his appropriate level license for another shot at the big office. A veteran of 13 seasons and a club-record 359 league games for the Lower Saxony side, Enochs now also runs a sports pub in town. All in all, he is deeply connected to the town and to being one of their Purple People Eaters. "I want to definitely stay with the club," he stated. "I've got so much to learn. And obviously, this place has a special place in my heart."
One matchday left and Osnabrueck have it all to play for. They are currently in the relegation playoff spot with 28 points. Karlsruhe is above them in safety with 30 points, while Oberhausen is below them with 28 points and a worse GD (-33 to -23). So Osnabrueck can end up in either 15th (safe), 16th (playoff), or 17th (relegated). They are playing at Ingolstadt (who are safe but have been playing well) next week, while Karlsruhe host Union Berlin (11th) and Oberhausen play at Cottbus (7th). A win would almost guarantee at least the playoffs for Osnabrueck, but they should also hope for some favorable results as well.
VfL Osnabrück won their season finale 1-0. With the win VfL Osnabrück finish in 16th place and go into the relegation playoff against the 3rd place 3. Bundesliga team, Dynamo Dresden.
And recent history would indicate they're in for a tough one. In the 2 seasons since the relegation playoff was re-introduced, the 2.BL team has never won - counting both the 1.BL/2.BL and the 2.BL/3.Liga series. Osnabrück lost over 2 legs to Paderborn to drop down to the 3. Liga 2 years ago. Maybe they will be able to break the spell this time around against Dresden.