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Lorenz-Gunther KostnerGerman football coach and former West German footballer.
Date of Birth: 30.01.1952
Country:  Germany |
Content:
- Lorenz-Günther Köstner: A German Football Legacy
- Coaching Career
- Stuttgart and Unterhaching
- Karlsruhe, Hoffenheim, and Wolfsburg
Lorenz-Günther Köstner: A German Football Legacy
Early Life and Playing CareerLorenz-Günther Köstner was a German footballer who played as a defender. Born in 1959, he spent his early years in amateur clubs before making the jump to professional football in 1975.
During his playing career, Köstner made 91 appearances in the Bundesliga and 86 in the second division. He notably won the Bundesliga title and UEFA Cup with Borussia Mönchengladbach in 1975.
Coaching Career
Köstner began his coaching career in the 1981/82 season, taking charge of Bayern Hof. He later worked at Reutlingen 05 before becoming a head coach in professional clubs.
Stuttgart and Unterhaching
In 1990, Köstner joined Stuttgart as an assistant coach, assisting Christoph Daum in winning the Bundesliga title in 1992. He later became manager of Stuttgart's satellite club, Stuttgarter Kickers.
In 1994, Köstner left Stuttgart to coach Unterhaching, where he remained for seven seasons, with a brief spell at Köln in 1997/98. Under his guidance, Unterhaching earned promotion to the Bundesliga and achieved a respectable 10th-place finish. However, the club was relegated in 2000/01, and Köstner was dismissed in September 2001.
Karlsruhe, Hoffenheim, and Wolfsburg
Köstner coached second-division club Karlsruhe from 2002 to 2004. In 2005, he replaced Hansi Flick as head coach of Hoffenheim but was replaced by Ralf Rangnick the following May.
In December 2008, Köstner was appointed coach of Wolfsburg's reserves. His contract was extended to cover the 2009/10 season.
In January 2010, Köstner became interim manager of Wolfsburg's first team after Armin Veh's departure. Under his leadership, Wolfsburg rose from 11th to 8th in the league and reached the quarter-finals of the 2009/10 Europa League. However, his tenure ended at the end of the season, with Steve McClaren replacing him.
