Thomas Letsch

Thomas Letsch
Letsch managing FC Liefering in 2016
Personal information
Date of birth (1968-08-26) 26 August 1968 (age 56)
Place of birth Esslingen, West Germany
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Team information
Current team
 Red Bull Salzburg (manager)
Managerial career
Years Team
1997–2000 VfB Oberesslingen/Zell (player-manager)
2001–2002 Stuttgarter Kickers II
2003–2004 FC Union Heilbronn
2008–2009 SG Sonnenhof Großaspach
2015 Red Bull Salzburg (caretaker)
2015–2017 FC Liefering
2017 Erzgebirge Aue
2018–2019 Austria Wien
2020–2022 Vitesse Arnhem
2022–2024 VfL Bochum
2024– Red Bull Salzburg

Thomas Letsch (born 26 August 1968) is a German professional football manager who is manager of Austrian Bundesliga club FC Red Bull Salzburg.

Managerial career

Letsch was never a professional footballer and started his coaching career at VfB Oberesslingen/Zell as player-manager.[1] In July 2001, he became manager of Stuttgarter Kickers's reserve team until 2002, but was also a part of the first team staff until the end of the 2002–03 season. He then moved to FC Union Heilbronn and was the manager for one season. From January 2005 until July 2007, he was the assistant manager of SSV Ulm 1846.[2] From January 2008 to June 2009, he was the manager of SG Sonnenhof Großaspach.

In July 2012 he went to Salzburg where managed the under-16 team of FC Red Bull Salzburg. Two months later, he was also appointed as football director of academy.[3] In the following season, he was promoted to first team assistant manager.[2] From July 2014, he was manager for the under-18 squad.[4] During his time with the under-18s, he was also the assistant coach for FC Red Bull Salzburg. In December 2015, after the firing of Peter Zeidler, he was for two matches head coach of Salzburg. In the 2015–16 season, he also managed the team of FC Red Bull Salzburg in the UEFA Youth League. Following Zeidler, he became manager of FC Liefering in June 2015.

On 18 June 2017, Erzgebirge Aue appointed Letsch as their new manager, replacing the Schalke 04-bound Domenico Tedesco on a three-year contract.[5] However, after just three games, Aue sacked Letsch due to the club's poor form and results.[6]

On 27 February 2018, he was appointed Austria Wien manager until the end of 2017–18 season, replacing Thorsten Fink.[7][8] He was sacked on 11 March 2019.[9]

On 26 May 2020, he was announced as the new manager of Vitesse Arnhem after club icon Edward Sturing. Letsch made a good start to the 2020–21 season. The club went on to secure fourth place in the Eredivisie, reached the final of the Dutch Cup (which was lost 2–1 to AFC Ajax) and ensuring qualification for the UEFA Europa Conference League.

In September 2022, he left Arnhem and moved to VfL Bochum.[10] After the club fell to 15th place in the 2023–24 season, Letsch was sacked on 8 April 2024.[11]

On 18 December 2024, Letsch signed a contract to return to Red Bull Salzburg in Austria until the summer of 2027.[12]

References

  1. ^ So tickt der neue Austria-Trainer Thomas Letsch, 90minuten.at, 27 February 2018
  2. ^ a b Profile at Footballdatbaase, footballdatabase.eu
  3. ^ Trainerteam der Akademie neu geordnet, redbullsalzburg.at, 5 September 2012
  4. ^ Salzburg: Ein Ungar hilft Hütter, kurier.at, 23 May 2014
  5. ^ "Tedesco-Nachfolger gefunden: Letsch übernimmt in Aue" (in German). Sport Bild. 18 June 2017. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  6. ^ "Aue wirft Trainer Letsch raus" (in German). Rheinische Post. 14 August 2017. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  7. ^ "FK Austria Wien – Thomas Letsch von seinen Aufgaben entbunden". www.fk-austria.at. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  8. ^ ""Die ideale Lösung": Letsch folgt auf Fink". kicker. 27 February 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  9. ^ Austria trennt sich von Thomas Letsch und Andreas Ogris, 90minuten.at, 11 March 2019
  10. ^ "Thomas Letsch named as new VfL head coach". vfl-bochum.de. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  11. ^ "VfL stellt Thomas Letsch mit sofortiger Wirkung frei" (in German). VfL Bochum 1848. 8 April 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  12. ^ "Thomas Letsch new FC Red Bull Salzburg coach". FC Red Bull Salzburg. 18 December 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
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