Marie-Louise Eta appointed Union Berlin interim coach after Steffen Baumgart leaves club
Union Berlin have appointed Marie-Louise Eta as interim coach for the rest of the season after announcing the departure of Steffen Baumgart. She is therefore set to make history as the first female head coach in the Bundesliga.
Eta has been coaching Union Berlin's U19 team this season and will guide the first team before becoming head coach of their women's team in the summer.
The 34-year-old had worked as an assistant coach for the men's team in November 2023 under Marco Grote, and remained on the coaching team under Nenad Bjelica, assuming some coaching duties when he was suspended for a match against Darmstadt in 2023/24.
The Berlin side announced the change after a 3-1 defeat at bottom-of-the-table Heidenheim left them 12th, seven points ahead of St. Pauli in 16th, the promotion/relegation play-off spot.
Watch: Heidenheim stun Union
The club's director of men's professional football, Horst Heldt, saId: “Our situation remains precarious and we urgently need points to secure our place in the league. Two wins from fourteen matches since the winter break and the performances shown in recent weeks do not give us the confidence that we can still turn things around with the current set-up. We have therefore decided to make a fresh start."
He thanked Baumgart, who had been at the club since December 2024, and assistant coaches Danilo de Souza and Kevin McKenna, who have also been relieved of their duties, for ensuring the club's safety last season and overseeing a strong first half to the season.
Eta said: “Our place in the Bundesliga is not yet secure. I am delighted that the club has entrusted me with this challenging task. One of Union’s strengths has always been, and remains, the ability to pull together in such situations. And, of course, I am convinced that we will secure the crucial points with the team.”
Eta is set to become the first female head coach in a Bundesliga match when Union host relegation rivals Wolfsburg on Matchday 30 next Saturday (kick off: 3.30pm CEST).
Related news
Watch Matchday 29 highlights!
Your one-stop shop for all the weekend's Bundesliga goals...
What can be decided on Matchday 29?
It's the business end of the Bundesliga season, with so much on the line up and down the league ladder...
Güther makes history
The 16-year-old was an 84th-minute substitute as he came on in Union's 3-1 loss to Heidenheim.