Promoted Cologne appoint Kwasniok as manager

Soccer Football - 2. Bundesliga - FC Cologne v 1.FC Kaiserslautern - RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne, Germany - May 18, 2025 FC Cologne players celebrate winning the 2. Bundesliga trophy REUTERS/Leon Kuegeler

UPDATED Jun 06, 2025, 07:06 PM

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Cologne have appointed Lukas Kwasniok as their new manager, the newly-promoted Bundesliga club said on Friday, with the Polish born 43-year-old signing a three-year contract.

Kwasniok managed German second-tier side Paderborn for the past four seasons, narrowly missing out on promotion in his final campaign when finishing fourth in the standings, while Cologne won the division.

"Over several years in Paderborn, he has impressively shown that he can develop a team, play attractive and successful football and promote young players to a higher level," Cologne Sporting Director Thomas Kessler said in a club statement.

Gerhard Struber was Cologne manager last season until his dismissal, along with Sporting Director Christian Keller, with just two games remaining after the club slipped to second spot and their automatic promotion was at risk.

Cologne appointed Friedhelm Funkel until the end of the season, who won the final two matches to clinch top spot in his third spell at the club, but have now opted to go with Kwasniok whose playing career in Germany was cut short by injury. REUTERS

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