The professional football club 1. FC Union Berlin has parted ways with head coach Steffen Baumgart, along with assistants Danilo de Souza and Kevin McKenna. The Bundesliga club announced this on Sunday night following a 1-3 defeat against 1. FC Heidenheim.
Marie-Louise Eta, who previously coached the U19 juniors, will temporarily take over the sporting direction of the men’s first team for the remainder of the season. This makes her the first woman to hold the position of head coach for a Bundesliga men’s squad. Eta had already been promoted to the role of first assistant coach in November 2023, following Urs Fischer’s dismissal from the “Iron” team, a position temporarily filled as head coach by Marco Grote. However, she is reportedly set to take over coaching the women’s team for Union in the summer.
Union Managing Director Horst Heldt stated that the current second half of the season has been “absolutely disappointing” and that the team urgently needs points to ensure its status in the Bundesliga. Achieving only two wins over fourteen games since the winter break did not instill confidence that a reversal of fortunes could be achieved with the existing setup. Heldt thanked Baumgart and his team for their work and wished them the best for the future.
Marie-Louise Eta noted that the club’s survival in the Bundesliga is not yet guaranteed given the points gap in the bottom half of the table. She expressed gratitude that the club entrusted her with this “challenging task” and she is confident that the team will secure the crucial points. The club intends to provide an update soon regarding the appointment of a new coach for the U19 juniors.
