Double Norwich City title winner Mario Vrancic has linked up with Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt to help mentor the under-21s.
The 35-year-old will be an overage player for Frankfurt’s emerging talent, but has already embarked on his coaching journey by obtaining his Uefa B licence.
Vrancic was the first signing of the Daniel Farke era at Carrow Road, and proved a hit in a four year stint with his set piece sorcery.
The elegant midfielder had later playing spells at Stoke, Rijeka and more recently Sarajevo before returning to Germany.
“I had great discussions with those in charge and am really looking forward to the task,” he said. “I grew up here in the region and Frankfurt has been my home for several years, which of course played a role in the decision-making process. But much more important to me is the appeal of teaching young talents something on and off the pitch and supporting them on their career path.
“During my successfully completed Uefa B course, I discovered that I really enjoy working with young players. That is how I see my role at Eintracht, while of course I also want to be a reinforcement for the team on the pitch.”
Mario Vrančić verstärkt die U21 🤝🦅
— Eintracht Frankfurt NLZ (@eintracht_lz) June 11, 2024
Der 35-jährige Routinier bringt die Erfahrung aus rund 17 Profijahren mit und verstärkt den ältesten Ausbildungsjahrgang als Führungsperson auf und neben dem Platz.
🔗 Alle Infos: https://t.co/eDq20LnbpE#SGE #sgeU21 pic.twitter.com/fHIcJgw5v2
Vrancic’s one-time Norwich team mate, Timm Klose, has had a similar mentor role at FC Basel since leaving England, and Frankfurt’s head of squad planning, Nino Berndroth, believes the Bosnian will be a huge asset.
“We are very happy that we have been able to recruit Mario for our oldest training year (under-21s). He is a huge asset to our under-21 team, not only in terms of sport, but also as a person,” he said, quoted on his club’s official site. “He brings a wealth of experience with him; almost 350 first and second division games in four different countries speak for themselves.
"He is a player that our young talents can take as an example, and we are sure that he will be a great support for them both on and off the pitch.”
Frankfurt’s first team finished sixth in the Bundesliga last season under Dino Toppmöller and play their home games at the Frankfurt Arena, which is one of the host stadiums for Euro2024.
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