(Picture: Action Images via Reuters)
Championship side Norwich City have appointed former Borussia Dortmund II boss Daniel Farke as their new head coach.
The 40-year-old German led BVB’s reserve side to second in Regionalliga West last season, losing just three games all season, and arrives at Carrow Road with Edmund Riemer, who will take up the role of assistant head coach.
The Canaries have been on the hunt for a permanent boss since March, when Alex Neil was relieved of his duties and succeeded by interim manager Alan Irvine, who oversaw the final ten games of the season and a turnaround in form that saw them finish eighth.
Farke now arrives as the 40th man to lead Norwich, and speaking to the club’s official website, he said: “I’m very excited to be here, it’s a great adventure for me.
“I was really looking forward to coming here and seeing all of the people and learning even more about the Club. I had a really good time with Borussia Dortmund, but Stuart Webber has told me all about Norwich City, its traditions and history, and I know what a great Club it is.
“The more I know about Norwich City, the more excited I get. I’m very glad to be here and can’t wait to get started.”
After a six year spell in charge of SV Lippstadt 08, Farke replaced Huddersfield boss David Wagner at Dortmund in 2015, and it was Norwich’s sporting director Stuart Webber who was behind Wagner’s appointment at the Terriers.
David Wagner enjoyed a brilliant first full season in England after arriving from Dortmund (Picture: Action Images via Reuters)
Wagner’s success was brilliant in his first full season in England, with Huddersfield currently preparing for Monday’s play-off final, and Webber will be hoping Farke can have a similar influence at City as they aim for a Premier League return.
“I’m delighted to welcome Daniel on board.” said Webber. “He was an outstanding candidate, and I’ve spent a lot of time getting to know his methods and how he works.
“When it became clear he was interested in coming here I was very pleased. Borussia Dortmund are known for employing high-class coaching talent, and if you look at his team at Dortmund they very much dominated possession and they were defensively very good.
“He’ll bring a certain style and identity to us that the fans can relate to.
“We gave ourselves the time-frame of getting a Head Coach in by the end of May and I’m very pleased that we’ve achieved that.
“The most important thing was not rushing it and making sure we got the decision right, and I must thank everyone at the Club and the supporters for their patience. I’m absolutely delighted to welcome Daniel here.”
