NEW MOTHERWELL boss Michael Wimmer’s faith in young players saw him work with new Manchester City scoring sensation Omar Marmoush.
The Egyptian, who scored a hat-trick for City against Newcastle on Saturday, was on loan at Stuttgart when Wimmer was assistant manager there in 2021.
Omar Marmoush is Man City’s new main man[/caption]
Wimmer has worked with Nico Gonzalez[/caption]
Marmoush, a £59million signing for Man City from Eintracht Frankfurt last month, has quickly taken the English Premier League by storm.
At the age of 26, he’s a bit of a late bloomer and five years ago he was working alongside the new man in charge at Fir Park.
Wimmer has been confirmed as Motherwell‘s new manager, replacing Stuart Kettlewell who quit last month.
44-year old Wimmer was assistant manager at Stuttgart from 2019 until 2022.
Marmoush was on loan there during the 2021/22 campaign, a temporary switch from fellow German club Wolfsburg.
Wimmer, who is known for his faith in young players, spoke highly of Marmoush in a recent interview.
Describing him as ‘humble,’ he revealed how he saw the Egypt international as a player with the ability to succeed at the highest level.
New Well boss Wimmer has coached plenty of big names during hisc areer.
He also worked with Juventus frontman Nico Gonzalez, as well as Switzerland keeper Gregor Kobel, West Ham defender Konstantinos Mavropanos and former Bayern Munich frontman Mario Gomez.
Wimmer told allfootball in an interview earlier this month: “Omar is incredibly ambitious and humble.
“He possesses top-level technical quality and a fantastic attitude.
“His development at Frankfurt was impressive, and his move to Manchester City is a testament to his hard work.
“I believe Omar is a player who can succeed anywhere. He combines talent with relentless effort—an ideal combination for a player at the highest level.
“Nico was always up for a joke but he could be moody at times.
“On the pitch, though, he gave everything.
“He was instrumental in Stuttgart’s promotion to the Bundesliga in 2020 and formed a lethal strike partnership with Sasa Kalajdzic in the Bundesliga.
“Seeing his progress, first at Fiorentina and now Juventus, makes me proud. He has worked incredibly hard to get to this level.
“The other players I have worked with weren’t just great footballers but also strong personalities. As a young coach, I learned so much from them—how they think, how they work, how they handle pressure.
“I had the advantage of being an assistant coach at the time, which meant I could communicate differently than how a head coach would.
“It allowed me to understand their mindset deeply. They were all professionals who gave everything for the team.”
Wimmer had a modest playing career before moving into coaching.
It began as a youngster at 1860 Munich, which he himself as described as “the best experience for me.”
Wimmer checks in
By ROBERT GRIEVE
NEW Motherwell manager Michael Wimmer insists he’s ready to make an immediate impact at Fir Park.
SunSport Online broke the new shock news early yesterday morning revealing the ex-Austria Vienna boss was set to be named Stuart Kettlewell’s replacement.
Our exclusive was then confirmed within hours after the 44-year-old German’s work permit was rubber-stamped.
Wimmer is joined by coach Ahmet Koc in a new-look management team which sees Stevie Frail exit the club.
And he said: “I’m ecstatic to be joining this football club.
“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 100percent 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.”
‘Well chairman Kyrk Macmillan has revealed the club received HUNDREDS of applicants – with Wimmer coming out on top after an impressive interview.
He 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.
“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.”
Kettlewell’s No2 Frail was caretaker boss for two games.
But he now exists the club.
Frail said: “I have loved my time here.
“It’s been a brilliant two years. I wasn’t looking to get back into coaching until I got the call, but I’m so glad I came in.
“It’s been an honour and a privilege to work with brilliant people at this club. It’s sad it came to the end it has, as I would have liked to have signed off with a win. It was on me to get a result for these players but it wasn’t to be.
“I also want to thank and say goodbye to the fans, we have had some brilliant moments together that will live with me forever.
“Finally, I wish Michael and his staff every success in the future, and I hope they can enhance and take forward the good work that has been done here in the last two years.
“I’m leaving behind good people who I now consider my friends, everyone is pulling the same direction and I hope everything works out well for the players and staff.”
He said: “It was my first professional club and at 16 years of age I had to live away from home for the first time. That gave me invaluable life lessons.
“The most difficult experience was at Greuther Furth, because I lacked proper guidance at a crucial age.
“I was young, earning my first salary, but I was too distracted from my true goal of becoming a professional.
“Injuries and a lack of discipline held me back. So I transitioned from playing to coaching at the age of 22.”
Wimmer worked as a coach at Nuremburg’s B team and Augsburg before moving to Stuttgart as assistant in 2019. He was appointed Austria Vienna head coach in January 2023.
He said: “My journey has been invaluable. I’ve worked at every level from youth to amateurs and professionals.
“I’ve had promotion battles with Nuremburg and Stuttgart and relegation fights with Augsburg. Being with Austria Wien further broadened my perspective.
“Stuttgart is a massive club and I spent three-and-a-half years there, as assistant and later as interim head coach.
“The club earned promotion to the Bundesliga and I learned what it means to be in a results-driven environment.
“The highlight was the three months as interim head coach, where I led the team during a tough relegation battle. That period will always remain special to me.
Wimmer’s career so far
Came through youth ranks at 1860 Munich
Featured for SV Lohhof, Greuther Furth, Dingolfing and Ismaning during short playing career
Transitioned into coaching in 2010 and held variety of roles at Nuremberg between 2010 and 2018
After working his way up to under-17s boss, he moved to Augsburg in 2018 as first team assistant manager
Wimmer took up No2 role at Stuttgart in 2019 and spent three years in the position
He had an interim spell in charge of the team following Pellegrino Matarazzo’s exit in 2022
Landed first senior managerial role with Austria Vienna, working in the role between 2023 and 2024
Looked set to become Bristol Rovers manager in December last year but club couldn’t secure a work permit
Appointed Motherwell manager
“When I went to Austria it was a great step. I wanted to stay in a head coach role, and Austria Vienna gave me that opportunity.
“However, it wasn’t an easy job – the club had financial problems, and the fans were frustrated.
“That period pushed me outside my comfort zone and helped me grow as a coach.
“Despite the challenges, we stabilised the club and implemented a footballing philosophy.
“My philosophy is simple: ‘Intensity is our identity.’
“Every action—sprinting, pressing, transitioning—should be executed with maximum intensity.
“Teams must be dynamic and disciplined, knowing when to control and when to strike. That balance is the key to modern football.”
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