Wagner starts with Augsburg: bankruptcy against Sunderland and a lot to do!

Wagner starts with Augsburg: bankruptcy against Sunderland and a lot to do!

FC Augsburg has brought a new spirit into the team: Sandro Wagner, 37, has been hired as head coach. The Munich native has signed a contract until 2028 and has an impressive playing career that took him to numerous positions, including FC Bayern Munich and TSG Hoffenheim. He scored 44 goals in 180 Bundesliga games and won the championship three times and the DFB Cup twice. As the Swabian newspaper reports, Wagner is now ready for the challenge in Augsburg after a successful time as coach at SpVgg Unterhaching, where he achieved promotion to the third division.

However, his first groundbreaking game did not end as planned. In a friendly, FCA lost 1-0 to Premier League club AFC Sunderland. The decisive goal came in the 14th minute by Habib Diarra, who hit the net after a pass from Granit Xhaka. Although Wagner expressed satisfaction with his team's offensive processes, he still sees room for improvement in defense. Goalkeeper Finn Dahmen, who left the game feeling dissatisfied, also sees room for optimization. Particularly painful was Phillip Tietz's missed penalty in the 29th minute, which failed to reach the target after a foul on Mert Kömür.

Preparation for the upcoming games

Time is of the essence, because the first competitive game in the DFB Cup against the northeast regional league team Halleschen FC is scheduled for August 17th. A week later, on August 23rd, Augsburg opens the Bundesliga season with an away game at SC Freiburg. Dahmen is sure: The motivation in the team is high and the players are dying to finally fight for points again.

Sandro Wagner is known for his clear playing style based on high intensity. He began developing his own philosophy early on, which placed harmony and communication between players at the forefront. If you look at Wagner's coaching career, he was already active as Julian Nagelsmann's assistant in the senior national team and gained valuable experience, especially in preparation for EURO 2024. Wagner describes his style as "relaxed, open and honest" and wants to implement FC Augsburg's structure and ambitions in the best possible way. This was also confirmed by Nagelsmann, who praised his former assistant's leadership qualities and motivational abilities official club website represents.

A look back

The list of coaches in the Bundesliga is long and full of exciting personalities, which Wagner will now be one of. A look at the Wikipedia page shows how many coaches have already left their mark in this league. Wagner could now be a part of this - even if he didn't have an easy start.

FC Augsburg still has a lot to do to make the season successful, but with Wagner at the helm the next step in the right direction could be taken. As important as past successes are, the important thing now is to look forward and ask the question: How will the team develop under the new leadership?