After the dismissal of coach Markus Weinzierl, 1. FC Nürnberg immediately presented a successor duo: Cristian Fiel and Dieter Hecking took over.
Nuremberg/Dresden – More than three years after his last game in the German lower house is a coach Christian Faithful (42) back in the 2. Bundesliga! The Spaniard takes over as assistant coach at 1. FC Nürnberg! Sports director Dieter Hecking (58) will be the boss.
Cristian Fiel (42) was already a coach at Dynamo Dresden in the 2nd Bundesliga. © IMAGO / foto2press
The clubbers announced the separation from Markus Weinzierl on Monday morning. After Robert Klauß (38) had already been on leave in October, an internal solution is now to be found.
Fell was officially introduced at a press conference at 1 p.m., but he was not present. He takes on a demanding task with Hecking, because after the bitter 0:5 smack against Heidenheim, Nuremberg are only two points away from a direct relegation zone.
“It’s the best solution that I take over myself because I see a lot more in the squad than the current position in the table says,” said Hecking on the PK.
Does an old acquaintance get the worst offensive in the 2nd division going?
He said to his new assistant coach: Cristian Fiel is doing a very good job in the U23s, we are in talks to extend his contract beyond June 2023. He’s someone who brings in fresh energy. He has a different speech, I’m hoping for a lot from that. I think that he can carry the team along with his enthusiastic manner. We have the same game idea and we will try to implement that quickly.”
1. FC Nuremberg: That’s why Cristian Fiel will not become head coach
Fell played under Hecking at Alemannia Aachen from 2004 to 2006. © IMAGO / Sven Simon
When asked why Fiel did not become head coach, Hecking said: “For me, he was already a candidate after Robert Klauß. But if you entrust him with this task in this situation, I don’t think it does him justice. That would be I don’t really do it,” says Hecking, who certainly means that Fiel should have been responsible for a squad that he didn’t even remotely help put together.
Hecking continues: “He’s in good hands at my side, the esteem for him is enormous, we have a really good coach in the U23s and are therefore in the final stages of extending his contract. I think that the work as assistant coach can provide me with important insights.”
Nuremberg is 13th with 22 points, Jahn Regensburg is currently 17th with 20 points. The new coach will make his debut on Saturday in the home game against SV Sandhausen of all places. The Badeners dismissed their coach Alois Schwartz on Sunday and want to have introduced a new trainer by the time of the game.
Cristian Fiel and Dieter Hecking have known each other for years, the Spaniard played under the sporting director
Cristian Fiel (42) has been in charge of the U23s at 1. FC Nürnberg since the summer of 2021. © IMAGO / Zink
That should be a highlight for Fiel, who was born in Esslingen DFB Cup quarter-finals against VfB Stuttgart represent. On April 4th or 5th, the Franconians welcome the Swabians in their own stadium.
It is not surprising that Fiel is now stepping in as a fireman. On the one hand, he maintains a close connection to Hecking, whom he once described as the coach who had the greatest influence on his career, and on the other hand, the former Bundesliga and second division professional has been in charge of 1. FCN’s U23s since the summer of 2021.
Fiel had previously been without a club since December 2, 2019, the day he was released by the then second division club Dynamo Dresden. Fell had looked after the SGD twice. In September 2018 he stood on the sidelines as interim coach for one game as successor to Uwe Neuhaus (63).
After the Saxons introduced Mail Walpurgis as the new head coach, Fiel returned to his actual position as coach of the U17s. This he had taken over after the end of his career.
Only a few months later, the then sports director Ralf Minge (62) made him the right head coach after Walpurgis was on leave in February 2019. In March of the same year, he acquired the DFB’s soccer teacher’s license.
With Dynamo Dresden, Fiel managed to stay up in the 2nd Bundesliga, but had to leave a little later
Fiel (42) achieved legend status as a player at Dynamo, and he also coached the club twice. © Lutz Hentschel
Fell managed to stay in the class with the club. However, when the club was bottom of the table with twelve points after 15 matchdays in the new 2019 season, the club pulled the ripcord after the 2-1 home defeat to Holstein Kiel on November 30, 2019.
Fiel, who still lives in Dresden with his wife Diana and their son Noah and their daughter Sienna, had to nibble on it for a long time.
The 42-year-old then found a new sporting home in Nuremberg. Things are going really well there at the moment. With his youth team, he is in a strong fourth place in the Bavarian Regionalliga, and is even two places better than FC Bayern, who have four points fewer and even played one match more.
In Dresden, the Spaniard had achieved legendary status as a player. He was captain, rose with the SGD in 2011 from the 3rd division to the 2nd division, where he stayed until 2014. After a season in the 3rd division in 2015, he finally ended his career and became a coach.
