Ingolstadt coach Sabrina Wittmann has 'interim' tag removed

"Role models are important so that other women realize what is possible," Sabrina Wittmann said in an interview published on the website of the German Football Association (DFB) in early April. A few weeks later, she has become just such a role model.

Appointed as interim head coach at Ingolstadt in early May, the 32-year-old went undefeated in her five games in charge. Now the club have announced that they have removed the "interim" tag from her title and the third-division outfit are set to enter the new season with her at the helm.

In a statement, sporting director Ivo Grlic pointed to "the positive impetus" that she had given the team in her short time as interim boss, saying he and club manager Dietmar Beiersdorfer were convinced that she was the right coach to take the team forward in the longer term.

"I am incredibly proud and grateful that the journey we have started is now continuing and that Didi Beiersdorfer and Ivo Grlic continue to place their trust in me," Wittmann said.

Wittmann is not the first woman to take charge of a men's side in Germany – former national team player Inka Grings had a spell as head coach of SV Straelen a few years ago, as did Imke Wübbenhorst at Sportfreunde Lotte. However, both these clubs were in the fourth tier – a step below the 3. Liga (third division), the lowest fully professional league in Germany.

There is currently one assistant coach in the Bundesliga, Marie-Louise Eta of Union Berlin.

'Quality trumps gender'

"If Sabrina were male, there would have been no fuss," Grlic said of Wittman's promotion from coaching the club's under-19 side last month.

"But we go by quality and not by gender," added the former Bundesliga midfielder, who made 16 appearances for Bosnia and Herzegovina in the mid-2000s. Grlic described Wittmann's main attributes as being "direct, authentic, very talented."

Born and raised in Ingolstadt, Wittman played as an amateur for her hometown club from 2011 to 2013, before moving on to other teams in the southern state of Bavaria. She turned to coaching while still a player in 2017 and has since worked with several youth teams at Ingolstadt.

Her big break came after Ingolstadt parted ways with previous boss Michael Köllner – as, according to Grlic, the club sees developing young coaches as an important part of its profile.

In addition to going undefeated in her four league matches in charge last season, Wittmann led Ingolstadt to their first Bavarian Cup triumph – which saw the club qualify for the first round of the German Cup. Ingolstadt are to host second division side Kaiserslautern in the Cup on August 16.

This article was adapted from German and was originally published on May 8, 2024. It was updated on June 6, 2024 to reflect her being appointed as permanent coach.