Under-fire Heidenheim coach talks club's poor form and his future
| Photo by Sebastian Widmann/Getty Images) |
After a sensational eighth-place finish in their first season in the Bundesliga, Heidenheim have struggled in their second season in the top flight.
Having won just one of their last 17 Bundesliga games, Frank Schmidt's side have slipped to 16th in the table with 22 games played, and are in danger of relegation.
Questions have recently been asked about Schmidt, who has been in charge of Heidenheim since 2007, when they played in the fifth tier of German football.
Heidenheim managing director Holger Sanwald recently backed Schmidt to stay on, but the 51-year-old is aware of the pressure he is under.
"There has been a complete lack of successful results and experiences over a long period of time,” Schmidt told RTL/ntv ahead of Heidenheim's UEFA Europa Conference League knockout phase play-off second leg clash against FC Copenhagen on Thursday.
“We have to be honest about that: With my record as a coach, other clubs would have sacked two or three coaches in the same period. That's very appreciative. I am very grateful for the support I get from the club," said the 51-year-old, who is in contact with Sanwald "every week" to discuss the club's situation.
"We also talk about the coaching situation. Of course I know how he sees it," said Schmidt, who added that he and Sanwald will decide together when it's time for his tenure to come to an end.
“There will never be any arguments or personal sensitivities that take precedence over the job at hand because we have worked together for such a long time and are there for each other. FC Heidenheim is the decisive factor.”
