The 2020/21 season will be Stephan Lerch’s last as head coach of VfL Women, after the 36-year-old turned down VfL Wolfsburg’s offer of an extension to his contract which expires on 30 June 2021. Lerch took over as head coach from Ralf Kellermann in 2017 and steered the team to three consecutive German league and cup doubles. His greatest success on the European stage was reaching the Champions League final in 2018. To date, Lerch has been in charge for 100 competitive matches, having first joined VfL in 2013 to coach the women’s reserve team. A year later he took on the role of head of youth development, which he carried out until stepping up to become head coach. In between, the man from Darmstadt was named as assistant coach on Kellermann’s Bundesliga coaching staff in 2015.
“Focus now on achieving goals”
“It’s still a real honour and a challenge to coach one of the absolute top teams in women’s football in VfL Wolfsburg, and in what are incredible conditions,” said Lerch. “Despite that, I’ve decided that after eight wonderful years, I’ll be moving on to a new challenge in summer 2021. I don’t yet know where my career will take me from summer 2021, as the focus right now is solely on achieving all of the goals that we’ve set with VfL. I’m really looking forward to the many and varied challenges that the new season will bring.”
“Early decision gives us time to plan ahead”
“I’m sorry that Stephan has taken the decision not to renew his contract that expires next year,” said Kellermann, VfL Women’s sporting director. “We were obviously keen to continue the success we’ve had together, with six trophies since 2017. That he made his decision known to us early, however, gives us time to plan ahead for what is a very important role. I’m confident that in the time that we still have together, there will be plenty more success to celebrate.”
