A few months after leaving KFC Uerdingen, coach René Lewejohann has found a new job. He is tasked with leading an Oberliga club out of crisis. Rot Weiss Ahlen has found a new head coach: former KFC Uerdingen coach René Lewejohann is taking over the first team with immediate effect, succeeding Luka Tankulic. Lewejohann has signed a contract until summer 2026, as the Westphalian Oberliga club announced on Wednesday evening.
The 41-year-old A-license holder brings “regional roots, clear playing ideas, and proven experience in training and development” to the table – and is no stranger to the Wersestadion.
Lewejohann already wore the LR Ahlen jersey between 2003 and 2005 after moving from VfL Bochum’s U19 team to the 2nd division. After around 20 years as a coach, he is now returning to the place where he gained formative experience as a young player. He also served as assistant coach on the Ahlen sideline during the 2022/23 season. President Dietmar Kupfernagel explains: “We are very pleased to have gained René Lewejohann, a head coach with stature and identification for our club. Not only does he bring professional expertise and experience to the table, but he also experienced the atmosphere at the Wersestadion as a player himself. His return to Ahlen sends a strong signal: together, we want to develop a team that stands for commitment, passion, and cohesion—values that also define our club.”
Lewejohann says: “I’m really looking forward to the task at RWA – and for me, it feels a bit like coming home. I was able to play here as a young player in the second division and later took my first steps on the sidelines as an assistant coach. Now, being able to lead this team as head coach makes me proud.”
The 41-year-old has clear ideas: “We want to be a resilient, active team – well organized against the ball, courageous with the ball, determined to play deep. The key is for us as a team to develop reliability in our processes again and make the Wersestadion a place where opponents know what to expect. I sense the will to tackle things head-on at the club, in the environment, and among the fans – we take this energy with us into every training day.”
After his active career, Lewejohann worked in various roles in the performance and youth sectors, including at Rot-Weiß Oberhausen. In recent years, he has taken on responsibility in men’s football, including last season as head coach in the Regionalliga West at KFC Uerdingen, where he stabilized and developed a team under difficult conditions. In 31 competitive games on the sidelines, Lewejohann achieved an average of 1.1 points per game for the Krefeld-based club.
Now, the former second division club is not an easy task for the Herne native. RW Ahlen has had a disastrous start to the season, picking up only seven points in its first eight games. As a result, the Münsterland club is second from bottom in the Oberliga Westfalen.