Beichler Speaks Openly About Salzburg Exit

In February 2026, the time had come. Daniel Beichler was given the opportunity by FC Red Bull Salzburg to become a head coach in the ADMIRAL Bundesliga for the first time.

The working relationship ended disappointingly after 14 games with an average of 1.07 points per game at the end of the season. Salzburg was top of the league when he took over, but the club finished in third place.

From U14 to the Pros

Now, the 37-year-old speaks in the podcast "FROM COACH TO COACH" about his departure from the city of Mozart: "At first, it hurts. I think it has to hurt. I was in Salzburg for six years."

The Styrian worked his way up from U14 coach, via cooperation club FC Liefering, to become Salzburg's head coach.

The Wrong Timing

"The steps to get there were excellent, outstanding. It always felt like the right time, it was always perfect timing, and then in February came the opportunity to sign with the Red Bull Salzburg professionals," said Beichler.

The coach knew: "The timing isn't ideal; that's how it is sometimes in football." After his dismissal, Beichler faced the question of how to deal with it.

There was a possibility of falling into a victim role. "Everyone around you says: 'Hey, that's unfair, you're the fifth coach in three years.' You've been burned," Beichler reports.

However, the former Salzburg coach chose a different option. "It's tough now, it didn't work out. It wasn't ideal. But what can I take from this time?" was his motto.

Beichler reflected on the time. For him, the question is: "How do you deal with the time you now have?" The Styrian also wants to dedicate more of his time without a job to his family.

No Specific Reason

Beichler also answers the question: Why didn't it work out in Salzburg?

According to Beichler, there's no specific point. However, there also seemed to be a lack of quality. "We missed an incredible number of chances, we needed far too many chances to score," Beichler explains. Furthermore, they often conceded goals from just a few opponent chances.

"You walk out of the game and say, 'How could we have lost this match today?'" reports the former Salzburg coach.

The High Expectations

His team also lacked natural confidence. The expectations were also extremely high.

"The club has actually expected us to be the undisputed number one for a very long time, and we've been chasing that claim for virtually two and a half years now," says Beichler.

The existing potential was never fully realized from the team. "We made too little of what would have been possible. That's something that sticks with you," admits the 37-year-old.