Official: Svensson and Mainz part company
Not long after rumors concerning his departure began surfacing on Thursday evening, FSV Mainz 05 officially confirmed Bo Svensson's departure as FSV Mainz 05 head-coach.
Reports that Bo Svensson and FSV Mainz 05 had opted to part company were quickly confirmed on Thursday evening. Contrary to some of the reports surfacing in the German media earlier, however, sporting director Martin Schmidt will not take the reigns on the sidelines for now. The Palatinate club's will instead rely on U23 trainer Jan Siewert to run the squad for now.
Svensson famously helped the Rheinhessen avoid relegation during the latter half of the 2020/21 campaign. In a statement released on the club's website, sporting CEO Christian Heidel acknowledged that Mainz owed the Danish trainer a great debt of gratitude for his assistance in keeping the club in the top flight
"Mainz 05 owes a lot to Bo, including the fact that we are still playing in the Bundesliga at all today," Heidel's statement read, "Additionally, we have completed two more sovereign seasons in the Bundesliga and thrilled our fans with our football. In the past weeks, we have spent much time discussing how we can reverse the negative sporting trend. Unfortunately, however, there are always complex developments in football that can bring such successful joint work to a point where it is perhaps better to take a new path."
"This is a conclusion that Bo himself has arrived at and agreed with us on," the statement continues, "I thank him for his openness and his attachment to Mainz 05. We have always had a special, trusting relationship. My and our great thanks go to him for his commitment. It was an extraordinary time. He is accompanied by our best wishes for his future. He will always remain an 05er."
"It is very difficult for me to say goodbye, but I feel that now is the time for this," Svensson noted in his own statement, "I have been a Mainzer [as a player and coach for 16 years. I have learned an infinite amount here, met so many great people, at the club, among the fans, in the city, my children grew up here in Mainz. These experiences will shape me for life."
"Unfortunately, due to the sporting development, the time has come to realize that no individual is above the club," Svensson's statement continues, "everyone must band together to master the sporting situation. Regrettably, I will not be included. That's the way it must be. Now more than ever, the club and the team need the cohesion that has always distinguished us."
New trainer Siewert has experience coaching Rot-Weiß Essen and Borussia Dortmund II in he lower divisions. The 41-year-old also led English side Huddersfield Town for a 19-game-stint during the 2018/19 and 2019/20 campaigns. He won just one game whilst in charge of the West Yorkshire club.
Mach's gut, Bo! 😢#Mainz05
— 1. FSV Mainz 05 (@1FSVMainz05) November 2, 2023