Hjulmand has signed a contract until 2027 and will make his debut on September 12th against Eintracht Frankfurt at the BayArena.
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Bayer Leverkusen announced Kasper Hjulmand as their new head coach on 8/9. Photo: Leverkusen |
Bayer Leverkusen announced Kasper Hjulmand as their new head coach on 8/9. Photo: Leverkusen
Before joining Leverkusen, Hjulmand made a significant impact with the Danish national team. He led them to the semi-finals of Euro 2020, the round of 16 at Euro 2024, and qualification for the 2022 World Cup.
At club level, he managed Mainz 05 during the 2014-2015 season, succeeding Thomas Tuchel. After leaving the Danish national team this past summer, Hjulmand served as an advisor to the federation before terminating his contract to return to coaching.
Hjulmand’s appointment came as a surprise. German media had speculated about candidates like former Real Madrid forward Raul, former Barcelona coach Xavi, and Ange Postecoglou, who led Tottenham to the Europa League title last season.
However, Leverkusen's leadership believes Hjulmand is the right person to rebuild the team. "In addition to his professional competence, Hjulmand's collective leadership style also made a strong impression," said CEO Fernando Carro. "A newly rebuilt team like ours needs clear principles and will benefit from his transparent, communicative, and empathetic approach."
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Coach Kasper Hjulmand acknowledges fans after Denmark's match against Australia in Group D of the 2022 World Cup at Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah, Qatar on 30/11/2022. Photo: Reuters |
Coach Kasper Hjulmand acknowledges fans after Denmark's match against Australia in Group D of the 2022 World Cup at Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah, Qatar on 30/11/2022. Photo: Reuters
Sporting director Simon Rolfes added that the choice of Hjulmand was not accidental. The Danish coach's assistant, Ismael Camenforte, had worked at Leverkusen for many years and was originally recommended to the club by Hjulmand himself. This provided the management with early insight into the 53-year-old coach's philosophy and training methods.
Rolfes emphasized that Hjulmand understands the environment at BayArena and is expected to help the team re-establish a proactive, clear playing style, aiming to become a competitive force in both the Bundesliga and European competitions.
Hjulmand expressed honor and pride during his introduction to the club. "Leverkusen has always been a well-organized club with great ambition, and this has been further confirmed in recent days," he said. "Building on past successes, I'm motivated to work with experienced players and new faces to write the next chapter in Leverkusen's future."
Hjulmand's predecessor, Erik ten Hag, was appointed by Leverkusen on 26/5 with a contract until 2027. However, the Dutch coach only led the team in three official matches, including two Bundesliga games, with a record of one win, one draw, and one loss. He was dismissed after just 60 days.
Compiled by Hong Duy
