Mitch Kniat named new Holstein Kiel head coach
Holstein Kiel have appointed Mitch Kniat as their new head coach following the dismissal of Tim Walter.
Kniat, 40, has been tasked with leading Kiel away from the bottom of the Bundesliga 2 table, with the Storks stuck in last place after a 2-1 defeat to his former club Arminia Bielefeld. They have only eight points after just one win from the first 11 games of 2026/27, leading to Walter’s departure.
“We are fully convinced by the whole package that Mitch brings as a person and a coach. He embodies lots of what we now need and is a long-term fit for our Holstein DNA,” said managing director for sport Olaf Rebbe of the appointment.
Watch: Defeat to Bielefeld spelled the end for Walter at Kiel
Kniat previously had three seasons in charge of Arminia Bielefeld, guiding them to promotion from the 3. Liga in 2025 and also reaching the final of the DFB Cup that year, having knocked out holders Bayer Leverkusen in the semi-finals before losing 4-2 to VfB Stuttgart in Berlin.
The Eschweiler native has previously worked at Verl and oversaw Paderborn’s reserves for five years.
“Holstein Kiel is an ambitious club with great tradition and a lot of potential. I’m happy about the trust placed in me by the club and am looking forward to creating something with the team and everyone around us. We want to play with passion, intensity and a clear idea of football, convince the fans with our performances and fight our way out of a tough situation right now.”
Watch: Kniat's Bielefeld won at Kiel last season
Kniat is joined by previous assistants Dani Jara and Janik Steringer. They now have the international break to get the team ready for a tough debut away at promotion-chasing Wolfsburg on Saturday, 21 November. His first home game in charge is against Kaiserslautern the following week, before a midweek DFB Cup tie at home to Cologne and then a relegation six-pointer at fellow strugglers Karlsruhe.
