Markus Krösche, Eintracht Frankfurt’s board member for sport, left earlier this month and the club is in a serious reshuffle to figure out who’s in charge. With a gaping hole at the top, Frankfurt has been forced to get creative, pushing new leaders into bigger roles to keep the ship steady.
Timmu Hardung Is Running the Show
Right now, sporting director Timmu Hardung is taking on a massive load. He’s got increased responsibility, working super closely with CEO Axel Hellmann to make sure the entire sporting department is running efficiently. His biggest job? Getting everything ready for that critical winter transfer window. That means Hardung’s usual day to day with the squad and coaching staff is on hold. He’s focusing on the big picture now.
Club CEO Axel Hellmann laid it out, saying, “In this current period until the appointment of a new board member for sport, we want to consolidate responsibilities and improve the efficiency of work across the various departments.” He added that Hardung is “tasked, until further notice, with leading all sporting operations in men’s football.” Hardung’s focus has completely shifted from the team itself to those strategic, organizational matters. It’s all about processes and structures, and he’s doing it in “close consultation” with Hellmann.
Rode Steps Up, Chatzialexiou Waits In The Wings
While Hardung handles the high-level stuff, former Eintracht player Sebastian Rode is stepping into a more direct role with the first-team setup. Rode, who’s currently in a trainee program at the club, is getting a huge bump in responsibility. Hellmann emphasized they “want to provide the best possible support for day-to-day work within the immediate team environment.” He praised Rode for bringing “valuable qualities to this role through his experience, his personality and his close ties to Eintracht” and that he can “contribute this perspective while also gaining further experience within the sporting organisation.”
Looking ahead, Joti Chatzialexiou, the sporting managing director from 1. FC Nürnberg, is the top candidate to finally fill Krösche’s shoes. Sky is reporting that Eintracht has already hammered out an agreement on personal terms with him. But don’t pop the champagne just yet. Frankfurt’s supervisory board still needs to approve Chatzialexiou’s appointment, and then the club will have to open negotiations with Nürnberg to make it official. It’s a waiting game, but Hardung and Rode are holding down the fort until a permanent solution arrives.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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