A memory of a meeting with Rachid Azzouzi, about a year and a half ago. The managing director of <a href="https://www.archysport.com/2022/01/sc-freiburg-defeated-vfb-stuttgart-in-bundesliga-20/" title="SC Freiburg defeated VfB Stuttgart in Bundesliga 2:0″>SpVgg Greuther Fürth was sitting on a bar stool in a meeting room on the upper floor of the office, with the lawn at his back and the sun shining. Azzouzi, 53, talked about his childhood as the son of Moroccan immigrants, his career as a player – and as he chatted over time, he also told this anecdote with Benno Möhlmann, his coach at the time in Fürth.
Azzouzi was sitting in the car and was on the way to a unit, Möhlmann was driving behind him, but Azzouzi didn’t notice and flicked a cigarette out the window. “It was even in his direction,” Azzouzi said, laughing. The mood was extremely exuberant, it was a good day, and Azzouzi also spoke about the path he took with the club when he returned to Fürth in November 2017. The game association should see itself as a talent factory again – and it didn’t just do that, it even surpassed itself. In 2021, Fürth was promoted to the Bundesliga for the second time in the club’s history.
But now, almost seven years after Azzouzi’s return to work in Fürth, the managing director has to vacate his desk. On Tuesday afternoon, around 48 hours after the shocking 4-0 defeat in the Frankenderby against 1. FC Nürnberg, the second division team announced their separation. The service of trainer Alexander Zorniger and his assistant Jurek Rohrberg also ends after two years.
“Today is a very sad day,” said President Volker Heißmann and emphasized: “We all appreciate Rachid. His name will always be closely linked to the greatest successes in the club’s recent history. As difficult as it has been for us, we still see the need to bring about fundamental changes.”
The previous academy director Stephan Fürstner will take Azzouzi’s place
The disgrace against Nuremberg was preceded by four games without a win – but the step to replace the entire sporting leadership still comes as a huge surprise. Above all, Azzouzi’s leave of absence was not to be expected.
Even on the Sunday after the derby debacle, there was nothing to indicate that the club’s leaders would take such a blow. After the game, not only Zorniger appeared at the obligatory press conference, Azzouzi also did not shy away and called the situation “already tough” in a small circle of journalists. However, he referred to the early stage of the season and emphasized: “We don’t need to talk about it now: relegation battle or no relegation battle.” On Tuesday he said: “For me it was always more than just an employer. That’s why everyone will certainly understand that I have to process this first.”
The previous academy director Stephan Fürstner will now take Azzouzi’s place. The former midfielder will take over the job until the winter. His services as an emergency helper are therefore temporary, as are those of U-23 coach Leo Haas, who succeeds Zorniger and will look after the team in the remaining nine games until Christmas. His mission: to get Fürth back on track and the lightheartedness that Azzouzi radiated with every fiber of his being in the meeting room of the office on that early summer day a year and a half ago.
