Christian Heidel

Christian Heidel (born 2 June 1963) is a German football executive who previously worked for FSV Mainz 05 and Schalke 04.

Christian Heidel
Heidel in 2017
Born (1963-06-02) 2 June 1963
Mainz
NationalityGerman
OccupationFootball executive and businessman
Years active1992–
EmployerFSV Mainz 05 1992–2016
Schalke 04 2016–2019
FSV Mainz 05 2020–

Career

1. FSV Mainz 05 (1992–2016)

Heidel became Mainz 05's manager in 1992 and was a main architect of the club's rise and consolidation in the Bundesliga in the following years. He notably made Jürgen Klopp the club's coach in 2001, who would later go on to manage Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool F.C.[1] Thomas Tuchel, who became head coach in 2009, is another internationally successful manager whose career on the professional level started under Heidel.[2]

Another significant achievement of Heidel's time in Mainz was the construction of the club's new home venue, the Opel Arena (then known as COFACE ARENA).[3] He also oversaw the promotion of the club's reserve team to the 3. Liga in 2014,[4] the highest tier of the German football league system reserve teams are allowed to compete in.

By the end of his time at Mainz, he had become the longest-serving executive manager in the league.[5]

FC Schalke 04 (2016–2019)

Mainz 05 announced that Heidel would leave the club after the end of the 2015–16 season on 21 February 2016.[6] On the same day, Schalke 04 presented him as their new executive manager for the following season.[7] Heidel installed Markus Weinzierl as the club's head coach,[8] but sacked him the year after,[9] as Schalke's tenth-place finish was insufficient to qualify them for any international competition.[10] Weinzierl's successor Domenico Tedesco was initially more successful, with the club finishing runner-up in the 2017–18 season,[11] but when the squad's performance drastically deteriorated in the following year,[12] he was fired in March 2019, with club legend Huub Stevens filling in for the remainder of the season.[13] Heidel himself had already handed in his resignation weeks earlier, assuming full responsibility for the team's decline.[14]

Return to Mainz 05 (2020–)

Heidel returned to Mainz in late December 2020, replacing the departing Rouven Schröder. The club announced the dismissal of coach Jan-Moritz Lichte and the hiring of Martin Schmidt as sporting director on the same day, in a bid to avoid relegation.[15][16]

Personal life

Heidel is the father of two daughters and a son.[17]

He worked as a car salesman until 2005, when his car dealership declared bankruptcy. Up to this point, he had managed Mainz 05 on a honorary basis.[18]

In August 2019, Heidel suffered a stroke while vacationing in Turkey.[19]

References
  1. Michel, Christopher (11 October 2019). "„Kaltstart" in Mainz: Klopp musste 2001 „alles über den Job lernen"". fussball.news (in German). Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  2. "Tuchel ersetzt Andersen" (in German). sport1. 3 August 2009. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  3. Wenzel, Werner (22 June 2011). "Eröffnung der Superlative" (in German). Allgemeine Zeitung. Archived from the original on 20 August 2011. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  4. "Der kuriose Weg von Mainz II in die Dritte Liga". www.liga3-online.de (in German). 25 June 2014. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  5. "Vom Autohändler zum Schalke-Manager" (in German). Spiegel. 18 May 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  6. "Heidel verlässt FSV am Saisonende" (in German). Mainz 05. 21 February 2016. Archived from the original on 21 February 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  7. "Aufsichtsrat wird Christian Heidel zum Sportvorstand bestellen" (in German). Schalke 04. 21 February 2016. Archived from the original on 21 February 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  8. "Markus Weinzierl wird Chef-Trainer auf Schalke" (in German). Schalke 04. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  9. "Weinzierl-Aus: Das böse Ende auf Mallorca" (in German). sport1. 10 June 2017. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  10. "Tabelle | 34. Spieltag | Bundesliga 2016/17" (in German). kicker. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  11. "Tabelle | 34. Spieltag | Bundesliga 2017/18" (in German). kicker. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  12. "Tabelle | 34. Spieltag | Bundesliga 2018/19" (in German). kicker. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  13. "Bundesliga: Schalke 04 trennt sich von Trainer Domenico Tedesco" (in German). Neue Zürcher Zeitung. 14 March 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  14. "Christian Heidel löst seinen Vertrag bei Schalke auf". www.ruhr24.de (in German). 23 February 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  15. "Neustart mit Mainzer Fußball-DNA" (in German). 1. FSV Mainz 05. 28 December 2020. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  16. "Fußball-Bundesliga: Heidel kehrt nach Mainz zurück – und bringt neuen Sportchef und Trainer mit" (in German). Der Spiegel. 28 December 2020. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  17. P. Dörr; G. Nicklas (14 May 2013). "BILD lüftet das süßeste Geheimnis von Mainz: Heidel wird Papa!" (in German). BILD. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  18. "Christian Heidel: Der Mainzer Manager" (in German). Westdeutsche Zeitung. 2 April 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  19. "Heidel im Privat-Jet von Tönnies aus Türkei gebracht" (in German). Welt. 26 August 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
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