Eintracht Frankfurt's Search for a New Coach: Jaissle vs. Hütter

Markus Krösche does not hide from his mistakes. He puts them on the table, names them, and then tries to correct them. Eintracht Frankfurt’s sporting director is now deep into that correction phase.

At the heart of it: Matthias Jaissle. Again.

The Red Bull Connection and Two Failed Moves

Krösche and Jaissle share the same footballing ecosystem. One grew in the corridors of RB Leipzig, the other made his name on the touchline at RB Salzburg. Their paths never quite crossed there, but the idea of teaming up has been alive for some time.

Twice, Krösche tried to bring Jaissle to Frankfurt. First in the summer of 2023, when Oliver Glasner walked away after delivering a European trophy and a new standard for the club. Then again in the winter, as the season began to slip and the need for a reset became obvious.

Both attempts failed. The timing, the contracts, the circumstances—none of it aligned. Frankfurt turned elsewhere.

Riera, the Misjudgement

That detour took them to Albert Riera, a bold choice and, as Krösche now freely admits, a wrong one.

The Spaniard arrived with a reputation for strong ideas and a sharp edge. He left with four wins from 14 matches, a fractured dressing room, and a strained relationship with the media. Internally, he was described as “difficult to manage.” Externally, the football never truly clicked.

Krösche did not sugar-coat it at the end-of-season press conference.

“I put him in a situation where he had little chance of success,” he said. The appointment, he added, was “my mistake. My misjudgement.” It was more than a passing line. It was an admission that the failed Riera experiment had cost Eintracht a place in Europe.

He went further, explaining how he had gone against his own rulebook. If you change coach mid-season, do not bring in someone who does not know the league or lack top-flight experience. Simple. Sensible. Ignored.

Why did he do it? Conviction. A gut feeling so strong he overrode his own caution. He backed his instinct. It backfired.

A Different Landscape for Jaissle

Now the landscape looks very different.

The season is winding down, the pressure is rising, and Frankfurt stand at a crossroads. This time, the profile is clear: a German-speaking coach, someone who can restore high-intensity football, lift the crowd, and drag the club back into the European conversation.

According to Sport1, Jaissle ticks every box.

He knows the Bundesliga, even if only as a former TSG Hoffenheim defender rather than as a coach. He comes from the Red Bull school of aggressive pressing, vertical attacks, and relentless tempo. He carries the energy Frankfurt’s board believes the Waldstadion crowd will respond to.

Eintracht have already made contact. Jaissle, currently under contract at Al-Ahli until 2027, has just lifted the Asian Champions League for a second time. His stock is high, his salary even higher—around 15 million euros a year.

Yet that, too, may not be a barrier. Jaissle is prepared to accept a significant pay cut if an ambitious Bundesliga or Premier League club steps forward. Frankfurt fall squarely into that category: not a superpower, but a club with European ambitions and a fanbase that demands intensity and identity.

Hütter in the Frame

Jaissle is not the only name on the table.

Adi Hütter, the coach who previously led Eintracht into Europe and built one of the most thrilling sides in the club’s recent history, has re-emerged as a serious candidate. He knows the city, the expectations, the unique energy of Frankfurt on a European night.

Crucially, Hütter is a free agent after leaving AS Monaco in October last year. Hiring him would not require a compensation fee, unlike Jaissle, who is still tied to Al-Ahli.

From Krösche’s perspective, both men fit the profile. He wants a coach with a clear vision, someone who knows exactly how he wants to play and can impose that on the squad. Eintracht, he insists, must rediscover “a certain intensity” and master both counter-attacking and possession football if they are to regularly compete for European places.

The next coach must be able to do both: soak up pressure and strike at speed, yet also control games when needed. It is a demanding brief—and a sharp reaction to a season in which that balance never truly existed.

Decision Time in Frankfurt

The conversations are ongoing. “We are in talks. We want to find a solution soon,” Krösche said recently when asked about the search.

According to Bild, Eintracht aim to settle the matter as early as next week. The club do not want another long, uncertain summer. They want a clear direction, a clear voice, and time for the new man to shape the squad.

So Krösche stands at a familiar junction. Jaissle, the coach he has twice tried to sign, is available in spirit if not yet in contract. Hütter, the trusted former boss, waits in the wings without a club.

Last time, conviction led Krösche away from his principles. This time, with Frankfurt’s European ambitions on the line, the question is simple: does he follow his instincts again—or the rulebook he ignored once before?