Eintracht Frankfurt restructures with new role for Rode and expanded duties for

Eintracht Frankfurt is restructuring its football leadership, with former captain Sebastian Rode taking on a new liaison role and sporting director Timmo Hardung assuming expanded responsibilities until a new head of sport is appointed.

Eintracht Frankfurt has restructured its football leadership. Former captain Sebastian Rode is taking on an enhanced role within the immediate team environment, while sporting director Timmo Hardung has been tasked with leading all sporting units in men's football for the time being. The club announced the changes on Tuesday.

The measures are in place until a successor for departing head of sport Markus Krösche is found. The hottest candidate for the position is Joti Chatzialexiou, currently the head of sport at second-division club 1. FC Nürnberg. The 50-year-old Frankfurt native has a strong affinity for data but has previously emphasised that data alone cannot represent character.

Hardung consolidates responsibilities

Timmo Hardung has received a direct mandate from CEO Axel Hellmann. The sporting director is now also responsible for the medical department and the youth performance centre. Previously reporting directly to the head of sport, his reporting line now goes to that position's superiors. A focus is on preparing for the winter transfer window.

Rode as a liaison

Sebastian Rode is completing a trainee programme and will act as a liaison between the team and club management. The former midfielder retired in the summer and knows the internal processes well. His new role is intended to foster direct exchange and stabilise the mood within the squad.

The restructuring comes as Eintracht sit 14th in the Bundesliga with 8 points from 7 games (two wins, three draws and two defeats), leaving them 9 points behind the league leaders. The team recently showed an upward trend with a 3-1 away win at Hamburger SV on Tuesday 27 October, but narrowly lost 1-0 in Dortmund before that. Their last five competitive matches have yielded three wins and two defeats. On Saturday, Eintracht host Hamburger SV in the second-round DFB-Pokal replay. In the league, a home fixture against 11th-placed Hamburger SV follows on Sunday 1 November. The attack will continue to rely on top scorer Younes Ebnoutalib, who has five goals this season. Their league campaign has seen them score 10 while conceding 17.

Joti Chatzialexiou, who grew up in Frankfurt-Sachsenhausen and previously worked for the German FA, brings experience from youth development and national team management. At Nürnberg, he implemented a data-driven scouting model. Whether he will make the move to Main remains undecided.

This story first appeared at FAZ Sport