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Heading to the right place at the right time

Germany women are entering a World Cup year with a new head coach: Martina Voss-Tecklenburg (51) has taken over from former temporary coach Horst Hrubesch and has clear intensions for her time in charge. She wants the DFB-Frauen to play attacking and attractive football as well as win titles.

She sat at the podium in the DFB headquarters with sparkling eyes surrounded by federation president Reinhard Grindel , director Oliver Bierhoff and sporting director Joti Chatzialexiou. Her delight at the job was evident to see. “I’m really looking forward to the task at hand and I’m glad to be finally starting in my new role. It is definitely the right time in my coaching career to be doing this. It is the icing on the cake,” said Martina Voss-Tecklenburg on 30th November when she was officially announced as the new head coach of the DFB-Frauen. “The task is exciting and challenging. I am fully aware of my responsibilities.”

In 2019, the DFB-Frauen national team wants to return to where they believe they belong: “We want to return to the top of world football.” The aims of the new head coach are very clear. Voss-Tecklenburg also will not have to wiat long until her first big practical test as coach. The World Cup begins on 7th June 2019 in France. “I want to win trophies. I never became world champion as a player,” said Voss-Tecklenburg. However, she also admitted that the 2019 World Cup may come a little bit too soon for them to fully achieve that. Within all the euphoria and anticipation, placing too much pressure on yourself can be unproductive. “First of all, I need to get to know the team,” said the Duisburg born coach.

Large successes

A training camp in Andalusia in January will provide the new coach with her first opportunity to get to know the team. Alexandra Popp already knows Martina Voss-Tecklenburg from their days together at FCR 2001 Duisburg. “Martina has played a very important role in my career,” said Popp, who players for current Allianz Frauen Bundesliga champions Wolfsburg. “She helped to form the player that I am and was quite feisty. That shouldn’t have changed.” Popp is correct. Voss-Tecklenburg is one of those coaches who cannot sit down on the coaching bench for more than a few minutes. She lives and breathes football and is fully engaged, as if she wants to get on the pitch to kick the ball towards goal. This was just like when she was a player when she received the nickname as the “weibliche Flankengott aus dem Kohlenpott” (female crossing god from the Ruhr).

During her playing career with Duisburg and TSV Siegen, Martina Voss won four German league titles as well as six DFB-Pokal trophies. She made 124 appearances for the DFB-Frauen including a debut at just 16 years of age in 1984. She was awarded as the first German “female footballer of the year” in 1996 and was a four time European Champion (1989, 1991, 1995 and 1997). The 51 year old retired from football in 2003 and declared at her testimonial that she was “a child of the DFB.” Since then, Voss has concentrated on her coaching career.

Voss returned to Duisburg in 2008 to become FCR 2001’s new head coach after spending time working in an academy. The club changed its name to MSV Duisburg in 2014. Martina Voss, who married businessman Hermann Tecklenburg in 2009 and changed her name to Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, spent three years at her hometown club and went on to win the UEFA Women’s Cup and DFB-Pokal twice. She joined USV Jena in 2011 before becoming head coach of the Swiss national team in 2012. This was an important and correct step in her coaching career. Voss-Tecklenburg went on to promote women’s football in Switzerland, prioritising youth talent and establishing a sustainable structure for the sport in the country. This led to a lot of success. Switerland qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 2015, reaching the last 16 in Canada. At last year’s European Championships in the Netherlands, the Swiss narrowly bowed out in the group stage.

Always our first choice

Back at home, the new DFB-Frauen coach knows that the expectations are higher. “Two numbers are always bigger in Germany compared with Switzerland. It is a success for Switzerland to even qualify for the World Cup, it is always an expectation for Germany will qualify.” The former DFB-Frauen international, who has been a member of the Fortuna Düsseldorf board of directors since February, is expected to bring the DFB-Frauen back to the top of world football where the team has enjoyed success in the past. Interim coach Horst Hrubesch provided the side with the best preparations for Voss-Tecklenburg’s reign as the DFB-Frauen ended their World Cup qualifying campaign with four wins from their last four matches. “The player have once again found their identity and trust,” said a pleased Voss-Tecklenburg. “That is extremelx important. I also don’t have any worries of us not functioning together as a team. We will profit from the foundations already in place. I am very thankful to Horst for what he has achieved.”

Reinhard Grindel that the DFB’s wait to find the ideal candidate will be rewarded. Voss-Tecklenburg’s contract runs until June 2021.”We are fully convinced that she will bring the team back to former successes by bringing new vigour and concepts to the role. We are heading in a new direction. Martina has already delivered success with Switzerland and Duisburg and was always our first choice.



Germany women are entering a World Cup year with a new head coach: Martina Voss-Tecklenburg (51) has taken over from former temporary coach Horst Hrubesch and has clear intensions for her time in charge. She wants the DFB-Frauen to play attacking and attractive football as well as win titles.

She sat at the podium in the DFB headquarters with sparkling eyes surrounded by federation president Reinhard Grindel , director Oliver Bierhoff and sporting director Joti Chatzialexiou. Her delight at the job was evident to see. “I’m really looking forward to the task at hand and I’m glad to be finally starting in my new role. It is definitely the right time in my coaching career to be doing this. It is the icing on the cake,” said Martina Voss-Tecklenburg on 30th November when she was officially announced as the new head coach of the DFB-Frauen. “The task is exciting and challenging. I am fully aware of my responsibilities.”

In 2019, the DFB-Frauen national team wants to return to where they believe they belong: “We want to return to the top of world football.” The aims of the new head coach are very clear. Voss-Tecklenburg also will not have to wiat long until her first big practical test as coach. The World Cup begins on 7th June 2019 in France. “I want to win trophies. I never became world champion as a player,” said Voss-Tecklenburg. However, she also admitted that the 2019 World Cup may come a little bit too soon for them to fully achieve that. Within all the euphoria and anticipation, placing too much pressure on yourself can be unproductive. “First of all, I need to get to know the team,” said the Duisburg born coach.

Large successes

A training camp in Andalusia in January will provide the new coach with her first opportunity to get to know the team. Alexandra Popp already knows Martina Voss-Tecklenburg from their days together at FCR 2001 Duisburg. “Martina has played a very important role in my career,” said Popp, who players for current Allianz Frauen Bundesliga champions Wolfsburg. “She helped to form the player that I am and was quite feisty. That shouldn’t have changed.” Popp is correct. Voss-Tecklenburg is one of those coaches who cannot sit down on the coaching bench for more than a few minutes. She lives and breathes football and is fully engaged, as if she wants to get on the pitch to kick the ball towards goal. This was just like when she was a player when she received the nickname as the “weibliche Flankengott aus dem Kohlenpott” (female crossing god from the Ruhr).

During her playing career with Duisburg and TSV Siegen, Martina Voss won four German league titles as well as six DFB-Pokal trophies. She made 124 appearances for the DFB-Frauen including a debut at just 16 years of age in 1984. She was awarded as the first German “female footballer of the year” in 1996 and was a four time European Champion (1989, 1991, 1995 and 1997). The 51 year old retired from football in 2003 and declared at her testimonial that she was “a child of the DFB.” Since then, Voss has concentrated on her coaching career.

Voss returned to Duisburg in 2008 to become FCR 2001’s new head coach after spending time working in an academy. The club changed its name to MSV Duisburg in 2014. Martina Voss, who married businessman Hermann Tecklenburg in 2009 and changed her name to Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, spent three years at her hometown club and went on to win the UEFA Women’s Cup and DFB-Pokal twice. She joined USV Jena in 2011 before becoming head coach of the Swiss national team in 2012. This was an important and correct step in her coaching career. Voss-Tecklenburg went on to promote women’s football in Switzerland, prioritising youth talent and establishing a sustainable structure for the sport in the country. This led to a lot of success. Switerland qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 2015, reaching the last 16 in Canada. At last year’s European Championships in the Netherlands, the Swiss narrowly bowed out in the group stage.

Always our first choice

Back at home, the new DFB-Frauen coach knows that the expectations are higher. “Two numbers are always bigger in Germany compared with Switzerland. It is a success for Switzerland to even qualify for the World Cup, it is always an expectation for Germany will qualify.” The former DFB-Frauen international, who has been a member of the Fortuna Düsseldorf board of directors since February, is expected to bring the DFB-Frauen back to the top of world football where the team has enjoyed success in the past. Interim coach Horst Hrubesch provided the side with the best preparations for Voss-Tecklenburg’s reign as the DFB-Frauen ended their World Cup qualifying campaign with four wins from their last four matches. “The player have once again found their identity and trust,” said a pleased Voss-Tecklenburg. “That is extremelx important. I also don’t have any worries of us not functioning together as a team. We will profit from the foundations already in place. I am very thankful to Horst for what he has achieved.”

Reinhard Grindel that the DFB’s wait to find the ideal candidate will be rewarded. Voss-Tecklenburg’s contract runs until June 2021.”We are fully convinced that she will bring the team back to former successes by bringing new vigour and concepts to the role. We are heading in a new direction. Martina has already delivered success with Switzerland and Duisburg and was always our first choice.

Voss-Tecklenburg is delighted to receive such high praise and is also pleased at the faith the DFB have in her. “This premature praise certainly isn’t off-putting and the praise is due to what I have achieved so far in my coaching career. Of course I couldn’t have achieved this without the teams I have worked with.” Thanking the team is important for Martina Voss-Tecklenburg. She has brought her Switzerland athletics coach Patrik Grolimund with her and they will work alongside Britta Carlson, Thomas Nörenberg and Michael Fuchs. This should help give the DFB-Frauen a strong attacking style of play: “The players need to play courageously and confidently. I am an advocate of attacking football,” says Voss-Tecklenburg.

“I want to win trophies. I never became world champion as a player.” – Martina Voss-Tecklenburg

At next summer’s World Cup, Germany will face China, Spain and South Africa in Group B in France. The tournament kicks off on 7th June 2019 with the final in Lyon on 7th July 2019.

Timeline of DFB-Frauen coaches

Gero Bisanz 1982-1996

Tina Theune 1996-2005

Silvia Neid 2005-2016

Steffi Jones 2016-2018

Horst Hrubesch 2018

Martina Voss-Tecklenburg 2018 – present