Sunay Acar has been without a coaching job for a good nine months. Most recently, he took the opportunity to observe a coach.
VfB Homberg, SV Straelen, and most recently 1. FC Bocholt—where he was relieved of his duties in February 2025—have been Sunay Acar’s coaching posts to date.
The 47-year-old A-license coach is ready for a new challenge and wants to tackle it with the best possible preparation.
“I’m constantly furthering my education, having many conversations with experienced colleagues, and watching them at work. I’m firmly convinced that as a coach, you have to continuously develop—professionally, tactically, and personally. I’m like a sponge, soaking up everything that makes me a better coach,” explains Acar.
Most recently, the former Oberliga captain of VfB Homberg spent time observing at 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 under Titz as a player.
“I spent a week with Christian Titz in Hannover—I’m very grateful to him for that. I actually wanted to do that once before in Magdeburg, but then the offer from Bocholt came along. We made up for it later,” Acar reports.
For me, the key is the combination of structure, clarity, and enthusiasm. When you challenge players technically while also connecting with them emotionally, that’s when development happens. This approach shapes my work—no matter what level I’m at
Sunay Acar
“Of course, Hannover 96 can’t be compared to the Oberliga or Regionalliga. It’s a completely different level—both in terms of training management, game preparation, and data analysis. Everything is more intense, more structured, and more detail-oriented. Ultimately, though, it’s always about making every single player better. It was very educational to look over Christian’s and his coaching staff’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 remain fully committed even during a seven-hour day from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. under Coach Titz: “In Hanover, I saw just how crucial willingness and training intensity are for athletic success. The players are highly focused, bring a strong level of motivation to every day, and invest a lot of time in their development. In my view, this attitude is one of the key factors that allows a team to continuously improve.”
As an aside: When Titz, who was coach at RWE from July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020, proposed introducing a seven-hour training day at Hafenstraße, the team council at the time shot down the idea.
Acar also draws parallels between his own ideas and the topic of training philosophy—Acar: “For me, the key is the combination of structure, clarity, and enthusiasm. When you challenge players technically while also connecting with them emotionally, that’s when development happens. This approach shapes my work—no matter what level I’m at.”
And what’s next for Sunay Acar? The 47-year-old, who is currently helping out with the F-Youth team at VfL Rheinhausen and also offers individual training to former players, replies: “I get casual inquiries from time to time, but nothing concrete has come of it yet. I’m keeping a close eye on the regional and upper regional leagues, but I don’t want to commit to any one league. Ultimately, the whole package has to be right—in terms of sports, people, and gut feeling. The key is that expectations and sporting reality align. If the foundation is solid, sustainable success can follow.”