Huge Scottish football managerial twist as 44y/o German picked to revive toiling Premiership side

Motherwell have confirmed the appointment of Michael Wimmer as their new manager.

Wimmer, a 44-year-old German whose most recent job was manager of Austria Vienna, has agreed a deal with the Fir Park outfit to replace Stuart Kettlewell, who last month resigned from his position, citing abuse from supporters.

Motherwell have since slipped to eighth in the Premiership amid a run of one win in 11 match and were soundly beaten 3-0 at home by Ross County on Saturday. However, the Steelmen hope that the arrival of Wimmer will help turn fortunes around as they bid to make the top six.

Motherwell have named Michael Wimmer as their next head coach. | APA/AFP via Getty Images

Wimmer started his coaching career at FC Nurnburg in his homeland in 2010 after an unremarkable playing career. He rose through the ranks before joining FC Augsburg as an assistant manager in the 2018-19 season, before moving on to VfB Stuttgart as an assistant. He was in interim charge of them in 2022 before moving to Austria Vienna at the start of January in 2023.

Wimmer was axed from his position in the Austrian capital in May 2024, with the team left in eighth place in the Bundesliga. The former midfielder emerged as a leading candidate to take over at Bristol Rovers in December last year, only for a potential appointment to be complicated by work-permit issues.

Motherwell have spent three weeks deliberating over who could replace Kettlewell and after names such as Steven Naismith, Ryan Lowe and Temuri Ketsbaia were linked to the club, they have settled on Wimmer. He will be assisted by his former No 2 Ahmet Koc, a 48-year-old coach from Turkey.

“I’m ecstatic to be joining this football club,” Wimmer said. “This is a hugely exciting club whose core values align with mine. Speaking to the board was insightful, and it was interesting to hear their vision.

“It’s not a club standing still, and I feel Ahmet and I can really help the football club move forward. We’re at a crucial segment of the season, with opportunities all around us.

“There will be no settling-in period. We will commit 100% of our efforts to producing an exciting football team that can achieve targets.

“I can’t wait to meet the supporters. The passion and enthusiasm are admirable, and it will be a huge contributing factor in our success going forward.”

Explaining the appointment, Motherwell chairman Kyrk Macmillan said: “This is a really exciting appointment for the club. There was a robust and strenuous recruitment process that has been ongoing for the last three weeks that has demanded a lot from those involved and I would like to thank them for their hard work.

“Having received hundreds of applications from managers across the world, Michael was the standout candidate. We conducted strenuous due diligence to ensure this appointment would push the club in the correct direction.

“We used a series of measurable values that indicate how effectively potential managerial candidates benchmarked in achieving specific objectives; which we believe went to the core ethos of Motherwell Football Club.

Michael Wimmer had an interim spell in charge of VfB Stuttgart. | Getty Images

“This, combined with speaking with a number of references and our interviews, made it very clear that not only are Michael and Ahmet driven to deliver success on the pitch, but are also individuals that share our ethos of ambition, innovation and transparency.

“We are delighted as a football club to welcome Michael and Ahmet onboard and look forward to working together.”

Motherwell have not disclosed the length of contract given to Wimmer and say he will begin at Fir Park when his work permit has been issued. Their next match is a Premiership clash with Dundee United at Tannadice on Saturday.