Ebbsfleet United have unveiled one of Germany’s most highly-rated young coaches as their new manager.
Dennis Kutrieb, pictured, was named as the successor to Kevin Watson at the National League club on Tuesday morning.
Leading German football publication ‘Kicker’ recently anointed Kutrieb with the title of ‘Erfolgstrainer’, a rare honour saved for the nation’s brightest bosses across all divisions.
The appointment sees the 40-year-old become the third German manager in English football alongside Daniel Farke at Norwich City and Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp.
For more background on the new #EUFC boss, who better to explain than a man who knows what he’s talking about as far as the German game’s concerned, football writer @__alexhowell
??https://t.co/ZDdOunFOWm pic.twitter.com/eTq18ZHRAB— Ebbsfleet United FC (@EUFCofficial) June 2, 2020
Kutrieb arrives at The Kufflink Stadium from Tennis Borussia Berlin, who were topping the table of Germany’s fifth tier NOFV-Oberliga Nord league in March when the coronavirus shut down football.
After leading his side to a second place finish the previous season, he was on course of a third promotion in six years after taking VSG Altglienicke from the Berlin League to the fourth-tier Regionalliga Nordost.
Kutrieb told fans at Stonebridge Road he was keen to continue his rapid progress in England in Non-League‘s top flight in a club statement.
Kutrieb said: “For me this is a logical step in my career. The opportunity to create the same results and progression in the competitive English system as I have enjoyed in Germany is something I am very ambitious to do, and while I had options to remain in the German leagues and take on a role at a higher level, I’m very hungry to work hard and succeed in England with Ebbsfleet United.”
The new Fleet boss – who played in an attacking role for clubs including TB Berlin, BFC Dynamo, Rot Weiß Oberhausen and Ludwigsfelder FC – added: “I’m excited by the preparation andmeticulous approach I’ve experienced already in my discussions with Ebbsfleet and we share the same philosophy and belief in terms of the high work ethic and standards that a club requires to consistently progress and win football matches.”
Jurgen Klopp… Daniel Farke… Dennis Kutrieb!
?? Ebbsfleet United catch everyone by surprise as a third German manager enters English football
?https://t.co/U5k0vJmAE0 pic.twitter.com/8tnlaIrNmW
— The National League (@TheVanaramaNL) June 2, 2020
The Fleet said: “Dennis is one of Germany’s most highly regarded young managers and we are extremely pleased to secure his services to take the club forward. A feature of Dennis’ success has been his tactical flexibility and dynamic tactical management during matches, along with his meticulous and thorough approach to preparation.
“An exhaustive and thorough process has been undertaken to identify and profile the attributes that best suit our club going forward to provide the optimal structure for stable and consistent football operations and results. We hope Fleet fans will join us in welcoming Dennis to the Kuflink Stadium as we gear up ahead of a new season.”
For much more news make sure you get your copy of The Non-League Paper this week!
In shops on Sundays and Mondays, The NLP is also available as a page-rustling digital edition and full replica of the printed paper from midnight on Saturdays.
Try the digital paper for free today with our first paper in May only a few clicks away right now as a FREE SAMPLE EDITION! Digital readers also save cash on single issues, even more on longer deals and enjoy full access to The NLP’s entire archive.
Images courtesy of The Non-League Paper & @EUFCofficial/Twitter
