Hermann Gerland Ends His Coaching Career

Hermann Gerland is stepping down from his role as assistant coach of the U-21 national team, doing so at his own request. After four years alongside head coach Antonio Di Salvo, the 71-year-old football coach is retiring from active coaching.

Andreas Rettig, DFB Managing Director of National Teams and Academy, said: “Hermann Gerland is a legend in German football, and we are very proud that we have been able to draw on his expertise and personality at the DFB over the past four years. During this time, Hermann has imparted a tremendous amount of his experience to the young players in the U-21 section, both on the pitch and off it, with his straightforwardness and honesty. With his vast experience and insight, he was an important part of Antonio Di Salvo’s coaching team. The title at the last European Championship would have been a dream for the entire team, but also for him in particular. After more than 50 years in professional football as a player and coach, Hermann has decided to retire. We have great respect for this and wish him all the best for the future.

In September 2021, Gerland took over as assistant coach of the U-21 team. After 37 matches, his record includes 25 wins, six draws, and six losses. He assisted Di Salvo at two European Championship tournaments, and the team finished runners-up at this year’s EURO in Slovakia. After losing 20 previous matches, the team lost 3-2 in extra time in the final against England.

“Having Hermann at my side at the start of my career as head coach was a gift for which I am very grateful,” says U-21 coach Antonio Di Salvo. “Getting to know his style, which is much more than just a ‘tough guy,’ and being able to benefit from it was very important to me. I’ve always enjoyed working with him incredibly.”

Di Salvo continued: “Hermann represents invaluable added value in many areas, not least due to his ability to distill many key issues down to their most important and truly essential denominator. With his unique character, Hermann has always been a special component of our coaching team, and with his direct and honest communication style, he has been a competent supporter for the young players, whose experience cannot be overestimated. Of course, we will miss him at the U-21’s. At the same time, I am pleased that he now has more time for his family, which has always been very important to him. On behalf of my coaching team, the staff of the U-21 national team, but also personally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Hermann for the time we spent together, the unique experiences, and the personal conversations and moments.

Today, July 9, Gerland was awarded the Bavarian Order of Merit. An honor that recognizes not only his footballing success but also his social commitment.

“I gave my all as a player, but I was too bad to play for Germany,” says Hermann Gerland. “And now to stand there and sing the national anthem was a dream for me. I had a lot of fun, and the boys were great.” As he departs, he has a special appreciation for Antonio Di Salvo: “For me, Toni is well on his way to becoming a top coach – and I’ve worked with some of the most successful coaches. When I see how meticulously he works, how he prepares, how he prepares the team, that’s the very highest level. And everyone needs a bit of luck in the end. I’m happy to have more time for my wife and grandchildren now; they should still have something from their grandfather. And I will certainly remain connected to football. With that in mind: good luck!”

Gerland, a native of Bochum, was known as a player for his loyalty to VfL Bochum, for whom he made more than 200 Bundesliga appearances between 1972 and 1984. As a coach, he is best known for his time at FC Bayern Munich. There, he spent more than 20 years as a reserve coach and assistant coach, serving under Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti, Jupp Heynckes, and Hansi Flick, with whom he won all six possible club titles in the 2019/2020 season. He won the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup twice each. He won the German championship nine times with FC Bayern, the DFB Cup five times, and the DFL Supercup four times. In 2011, Hermann Gerland received the German Football Coaching Award. He nurtured and shaped, among others, talented players of the time, including Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, and Mats Hummels. When Hansi Flick moved to the DFB in 2021, Hermann Gerland also left Bayern and, after a short stint as assistant coach with the senior national team, supported Antonio Di Salvo with the U-21 national team.

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