Sunay Acar has been without a coaching job for a good nine months. He recently took advantage of an opportunity to intern.
VfB Homberg, SV Straelen, and most recently 1. FC Bocholt – where he was relieved of his duties in February 2025 – were Sunay Acar’s previous coaching positions.
The 47-year-old A-license coach is ready for a new challenge and wants to approach it with maximum preparation.
“I am constantly educating myself, talking to experienced colleagues and watching them at work. I firmly believe that as a coach, you have to continuously develop yourself – professionally, tactically and personally. I am like a sponge, soaking up everything that will make me a better coach,” explains Acar.
Most recently, the former Oberliga captain of VfB Homberg spent time with second division club Hannover 96, where Christian Titz is currently doing impressive work. Acar knows the former Rot-Weiss Essen coach from their time together at 1. FC Passau, where he trained as a player under Titz.
“I spent a week with Christian Titz in Hannover—I’m very grateful to him for that. I actually wanted to do that in Magdeburg, but then the offer from Bocholt came up. We made up for it later,” reports Acar.
For me, the combination of structure, clarity, and enthusiasm is crucial. If you challenge players professionally but also reach them emotionally, then development happens. This attitude shapes my work – no matter what level I’m at.
Sunay Acar
“Of course, Hannover 96 cannot be compared to the Oberliga or Regionalliga. It’s a completely different level – both in terms of training management and game preparation and data analysis. Everything is more intense, more structured and more detail-oriented. But in the end, it’s always about making each individual player better. It was very instructive to look over Christian and his coaching team’s shoulders as they went about their daily work,” says Acar, who lives in Duisburg, describing his impressions.
Acar was particularly impressed by the professionalism and attitude of the players, who identify with a seven-hour day from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. under coach Titz: “In Hanover, I saw how crucial willingness and training intensity are for sporting success. The players are very focused, bring a high level of motivation to the table every day, and invest a lot of time in their development. In my opinion, this attitude is one of the key factors in enabling a team to continuously improve.”
On a side note: When Titz, who was coach at RWE from July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020, proposed introducing a seven-hour day at Hafenstraße, the team council at the time torpedoed the idea.
Acar also draws parallels with his own ideas on the subject of training philosophy. Acar: “For me, the combination of structure, clarity, and enthusiasm is crucial. If you challenge players professionally but also reach them emotionally, then development happens. This attitude shapes my work – no matter what level.”
And what does the future hold for Sunay Acar? The 47-year-old, who currently helps out with the F-youth team at VfL Rheinhausen and also offers individual training to former players, replies: “There are always casual inquiries, but so far nothing concrete has come of them. I’m keeping a close eye on the regional and upper leagues, but I don’t want to commit to one league. Ultimately, the overall package has to be right – in terms of sport, people, and gut feeling. The key is that expectations and sporting reality match. If the foundation is right, lasting success can follow.”