Bundesliga
Wolfsburg have named Paul Simonis as their new head coach for the 2025/26 season on a two-year contract.
The 40-year-old Dutchman succeeds Ralph Hasenhüttl, who was dismissed in early May as the Wolves missed out on Europe, ultimately finishing 11th in the Bundesliga.
Simonis arrives at the Volkswagen Arena after just one season as a senior head coach but having guided Go Ahead Eagles to their first major title in over 90 years by winning the Dutch Cup.
“He fits our requirements perfectly. Paul works in great detail in all areas, has the same ideas and concepts in terms of content and structure about how we want to perform on the pitch in future and how we want to reorganise Wolfsburg with fresh impetus and at the same time consistently advance its development. Paul also brings a great deal of energy and passion,” said Wolfsburg managing director Peter Christiansen of the appointment.
Never a professional player himself, Simonis started out coaching in the Sparta Rotterdam academy, working there for 15 years before joining Go Ahead Eagles in 2020 as assistant to Kees van Wonderen. He would then follow the later Schalke boss to Heerenveen in 2022 and also worked under René Hake.
Following the latter’s departure to Manchester United, Simonis was named head coach for the 2024/25 season, taking the Eagles to seventh place in the Eredivisie and cup glory with victory over AZ Alkmaar on penalties.
“I can hardly wait to take on this challenge and work with the team and the staff,” the Dutchman said of his move. “The discussions I had with Peter Christiansen, Sebastian Schindzielorz and Sebastian Rudolph were very good and very comprehensive at a high level. That immediately gave me the feeling that this decision was the right step. I'm really looking forward to working at a top level in a very strong and exciting league in the future.”
Wolfsburg are scheduled to return for training under their new coach on 9 July and currently have a number of pre-season friendlies scheduled against the likes of Espanyol, Feyenoord and Brighton and Hove Albion.
Simonis’ first competitive fixture in charge will be in the opening round of the DFB Cup on 15-18 August, with the draw to determine their opponent coming this Sunday. The Bundesliga season then kicks off the following weekend. The 2025/26 fixture list is set to be released on 27 June.