After the managing director had already decided after the sporting analysis that a change was necessary, the seven-member Joint Committee (GA) also came to the same conclusion in the afternoon.

After the GA had sealed Kwasniok’s exit, the coach was personally informed by Kessler on Sunday evening. The sports boss drove to his house. Afterwards, assistant coach René Wagner was personally informed that he was taking over. He will lead his first unit on Monday at 3 p.m.

Explosive: Cologne’s coach knew that the club had no successor

Kwasniok, who has a contract until 2028, fought like a lion for his job until the end.

He said after the 3-3 draw against Gladbach: “The most important thing is the conviction of the man in front of the team. All I can say is: you first have to find someone who has more conviction in him. We are a 100 percent team. I am the right man in the right place with the right team in the right club!”

Kwasniok came to the club premises on Sunday still happy

Kwasniok is said to have even noticed that Kessler had not found an external coaching alternative. The sports boss is said to have received a few rejections, including from trainers like Dino Toppmöller.

Kwasniok was confident until the end and even came to the Geißbockheim happily on Sunday morning.

Kwasniok drives away – and wants to enjoy the sun

If Wagner loses the first game at Eintracht Frankfurt (April 5, 2026) and then the home game against Werder Bremen, there is still the possibility of bringing in a firefighter like Friedhelm Funkel (72).

The remaining games are then: St. Pauli (A), Leverkusen (H), Union Berlin (A), Heidenheim (H), FC Bayern Munich (A).

Kessler sat with Wagner for a few hours on Sunday to discuss the future. Kwasniok, on the other hand, left the Geißbockheim after a good 20 minutes and said that he wanted to enjoy the sun in the afternoon.

The fact that Kessler did not want to and could not present an external solution was discussed for a long time and controversially in the Joint Committee. But in the end it was clear: assistant coach René Wagner should now keep the team in the Bundesliga.

By Uwe Bödeker and Jürgen Kemper