Stefan Manzana Marin Appointed Head Coach at Vienna
Vienna is restructuring for the decisive phase of the season: Stefan Manzana Marin, formerly the club’s Head Scout, will take over as Head Coach of the first team with immediate effect.
With this decision, the club is addressing both the sporting outlook and the structural requirements of the Bundesliga. Manzana Marin holds the UEFA Pro License – the highest coaching qualification in European football – and brings a wealth of experience from various roles in professional and youth football.
Despite the current challenging position in the league table, Vienna is leaving no stone unturned and remains fully committed to its path. The appointment of Manzana Marin keeps the club's promotion hopes alive while also meeting key criteria in the second phase of the licensing process – paving the way for Vienna to obtain a Bundesliga license for the first time since its return to professional football.
The existing coaching staff, including Mehmet Sütcü and Roman Kienast, will remain with the club. As assistant coaches, they will work alongside Head Coach Manzana Marin to form the coaching team. Day-to-day training on the pitch will continue seamlessly – the course that has been set remains unchanged.
Stefan Manzana Marin Well Acquainted with Squad and Surroundings
Stefan Manzana Marin knows the squad and the club environment inside out. In his previous role as Head Scout, he was heavily involved in squad planning and maintained regular communication with the coaching staff. Now, he brings his technical expertise directly into the team’s day-to-day training and match operations.
A native of Burgenland, Manzana Marin not only holds the UEFA Pro License but also holds qualifications in match analysis and scouting, completed at the International Football Institute. His previous career stops include assistant coaching roles at TSV Hartberg, SC Wiener Neustadt, and SCR Altach, as well as serving as Sporting Director at the youth academies of Admira and Burgenland. Since early 2023, he has been working as Head Scout for Vienna.
Sporting Director Andreas Ivanschitz commented: “Our coaching team, led by Mehmet Sütcü and Roman Kienast, has done outstanding work over the past twelve months. The team’s development speaks for itself. At the same time, we knew that if a promotion opportunity arose, we needed to be structurally prepared. With Stefan Manzana Marin, we’ve found a well-thought-out internal solution that strengthens us both on and off the pitch.”
