Replacement open
©IMAGO
Rouven Schröder is moving from Leipzig to Salzburg within the Red Bull cosmos with immediate effect. The Saxons’ previous sports director will take over the newly created position of sports director for the struggling Austrians. The 49-year-old signed a contract until December 2028.
“Rouven has fully committed himself to both his tasks and the club and has always taken on responsibility. The discussions about his desire to change were also very transparent and professional. We would like to thank Rouven for his commitment and the work he has done and wish him all the best and much success in his new challenge!” said Leipzig’s sports director Marcel Schäfer. A decision is still being made about a replacement. Schröder has held the position of sports director since April 1, 2023.
There is no easy task waiting for him in Salzburg. The long-time series champion is in a sporting crisis. Under new coach Pepijn Lijnders, Salzburg is only in sixth place in the Bundesliga and has to worry about taking part in the championship round. There is also a risk of early exit in the Champions League after just three points from five games. The newly created position is not only a reaction to the worrying sporting developments of the last few months, but also to the massively increased demands in the areas of transfers, player development and scouting, it was said. Sports director Bernhard Seonbuchner, however, will return to the Red Bull Academy shortly.
“We have been looking at various club structures in European football for a long time. Based on these findings, we have come to the conclusion that this structural change represents a great opportunity for the future of our club. With his extensive experience and deep understanding of football, Rouven Schröder, as Managing Director of Sports, will play a crucial role in the further sporting development of our Salzburg path, which he will pursue with fresh enthusiasm and new ideas,” explained Managing Director Stephan Reiter.
Schröder added: “The discussions with Stephan Reiter were very positive and I am really looking forward to this exciting new challenge at FC Red Bull Salzburg. The club has achieved impressive success in recent years and stands for talent development like no other. I can identify with that 100 percent. Now I would first like to take a closer look at everything in order to get to know the team as best as I can. At the same time, I would like to work with everyone here to ensure that the trend is reversed as soon as possible and also to promote long-term sporting development so that FC Red Bull Salzburg can celebrate further successes in the future and offer its fans exciting and successful football again. We will pursue this goal with hard work and a clear vision.”
