SV Lippstadt is banking on continuity and has given its head coach Felix Bechtold a long-term contract.
SV Lippstadt has extended the contract with its head coach Felix Bechtold for the long term. The 31-year-old has signed with the West-Regionalligisten until 2025, his previous employment contract would have expired next summer.
Bechtold has been in charge since the summer of 2019, making him one of the longest-serving coaches in the league. Only Nicolas Michaty of Fortuna Düsseldorf’s U23s has been there a year longer, with Bechtold sharing second place with Mark Zimmermann (1. FC Köln U21) and Guiseppe Brunetto (1. FC Düren).
SV Lippstadt: Sports Director raves about Felix Bechtold
“Felix has established himself very, very quickly at this level as head coach. The last few successful years have proven that. He has a huge tactical know-how, but is also a super motivator at the same time,” explained sports director Dirk Brökelmann in a club statement. “I am very happy that with him we have someone who fulfils the requirement profile of a coach at SV Lippstadt 08 100 per cent.”
Remarkably, Lippstadt is Bechtold’s first stop as head coach. He had ended his active career at SVL in 2018 and initially worked as a co-coach for one season. Afterwards, the Ingolstadt native took over the main responsibility and led the team to class preservation three times in a row (16th, 16th, 14th). At the start of the new season, they managed a 1:0 surprise victory at Fortuna Köln.
He is “absolutely overjoyed and emotional as well as proud at the same time”, says Bechtold himself. “I am grateful for all the trust and support. Now it’s a matter of devoting my full concentration to the club and the path we’ve taken together and doing everything I can to be successful. This challenge is incredibly appealing and motivating.”
The B-licence holder is not only one of the longest-serving coaches in the West Relay, but also one of those with the most long-term contracts. Besides Bechtold, only Andreas Zimmermann (RW Ahlen) and Daniel Brinkmann (SC Wiedenbrück) are tied to their clubs until 2025.