Fortuna Düsseldorf appoint Alexander Ende as new head coach
Alexander Ende has been tasked with maintaining Fortuna Düsseldorf’s status in Bundesliga 2 after Markus Anfang was relieved of his coaching duties.
Anfang only took over in Düsseldorf in October, but having only managed to average a point per game and off the back of four successive defeats, including a 2-1 loss against Holstein Kiel at the weekend, the Fortuna hierarchy have decided a change was needed.
The man set to take the reins at Fortuna is Ende, who himself was recently let go by bottom-of-the-table Preußen Münster. Prior to managing Preußen, Ende had been in charge of SC Verl in the 3. Liga.
Watch: Fortuna Düsseldorf 1-2 Holstein Kiel
Fortuna’s sporting director, Sven Mislintat, was keen to stress that the appointment of Ende was with long-term goals in mind.
“We have thoroughly analysed what our team needs right now to secure our place in the league," he said. "And that's exactly what Alexander Ende brings to the table. We trust him to provide a clear, strategic solution for the final five matches.
"Furthermore, his approach aligns very well with our long-term strategy. Therefore, he is not only the right coach for this situation, but also the coach with whom we want to implement our sporting vision in the future."
The 46-year-old has signed a contract until June 30, 2028 and will take charge of his first session on Monday afternoon. Ende’s assistant, Zlatko Muhovic, will also be joining the new coaching team.
Speaking about his appointment, Ende was keen to express his enthusiasm for his new position. "I am really looking forward to this exciting challenge at Fortuna," he said. "The situation is challenging, but I am absolutely convinced that together with everyone at Fortuna, we will secure our place in the league. And that is all that matters right now.”
Fortuna’s next game will be away to relegation rivals Magdeburg next Saturday on Matchday 30 of the Bundesliga 2 campaign.
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