After the recent upswing, the announcement of the news was only a matter of time: Borussia Mönchengladbach has permanently installed Eugen Polanski as head coach and given him a contract until 2028.
Eugen Polanski has made the most of his probationary period and, as of Tuesday, can call himself head coach of Borussia Mönchengladbach. The Foals promoted the 39-year-old after three competitive wins in a row. Gerardo Seoane had held the position until mid-September.
“We are very pleased that we were able to reach an agreement with Eugen in open, constructive, and appreciative discussions,” said Borussia’s Head of Sports Rouven Schröder. “He impressed us from the start with his qualities in terms of content and character, and we are confident that with him as head coach, we can continue the positive development of recent weeks.”
Polanski’s interim tenure had gotten off to a slow start in this regard, with two points from five games. But then, as was the case with the 4-6 comeback after trailing 0-6 against Eintracht Frankfurt, the comeback began. A 3-1 win against Karlsruher SC in the DFB Cup was followed by a 4-0 win against FC St. Pauli and the recent 3-1 win in the derby against 1. FC Köln in the Bundesliga. The Foals are currently 12th in the Bundesliga table. “I have never made any secret of what this job at my home club means to me. Being head coach at Borussia gives me immense pleasure and fills me with pride. The trust placed in me by those responsible is a great incentive and confirmation of the work done by the entire team,” says Polanski.
Under Polanski, the team’s effectiveness increased significantly.
After the derby victory over Cologne, at the latest, everything pointed to a promotion for the home-grown player. Polanski, who moved from Concordia Viersen to Borussia at the age of eight, later turned professional and made his Bundesliga debut in the 2004/2005 season, succeeded in stabilizing the team in all areas.
The switch to a back three gave the team more security. In midfield, the coach found the right mix of organization, running and tackling strength, and quality play. And the team’s attacking power also increased significantly. In the last three competitive games, the Foals scored ten goals. Haris Tabakovic, now supported by a second striker, has emerged as a goal scorer.
From the outset, Polanski enjoyed the full confidence of the team, the club, and the fans. With the onset of sporting success, all the conditions were finally in place to make the former midfielder the permanent solution in the coaching position.
Gladbach’s U23 team needs a successor
Because Polanski is no longer available to “his” Gladbach U23 team, the club must find a new coach for this position. In mid-September, Sascha Eickel, who is actually the sporting director of the U19 and U23 teams, temporarily took over the role. One scenario is the promotion of U19 coach Oliver Kirch to the new coach of the U23s. However, the reorganization of the coaching positions in the youth sector may be postponed until the winter break, as the last match days for the U23s and U19s before the turn of the year are already scheduled for early December.