Marcus Mann – who has been with us as Managing Director of Sport since 24 December 2025 – was officially presented at a press conference alongside CEO Stephan Reiter ahead of the friendly match against FC Bayern. You can read the most important statements from our management duo here. You can also watch the entire press conference again below.

Marcus Mann on his first impressions of Salzburg:

I am delighted to be here. I have been in Salzburg since Saturday and have been able to get an initial overview. Salzburg are an ambitious club with top facilities and a superb academy. I used to be the head of youth development and academy at Hoffenheim myself and really enjoy working with young players. Our goal must be to have as many players from our own academy as possible in the first-team squad.

Stephan Reiter on the recruitment process:

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Together with our board members, we took the necessary time and used our network in all ways we could to find someone to take this important role. I am convinced that with Marcus Mann, with all his experience, his understanding of football and his solid development and loyalty to other clubs, we have made the right decision.

It is normal for every club and every company to go through phases when things are not going so well. Together with Marcus, we want to go on the offensive and continue unwaveringly on our path.

Marcus Mann on …

… his decision to come here:

It's important to note that I really enjoyed my time in Hanover. I was there for four and a half years, so it took a lot for me to decide to make a change. With every conversation here, the decision became more concrete and my conviction grew that I could help create something really great. Talking alone doesn't win anything - the work comes first, and I'm looking forward to getting started here.

… his long-term plans.

Up to now, I have always stayed with my clubs for a long time, always identifying strongly with them, and I am therefore convinced that this will also be the case here. It simply takes time to develop things. Not everything always works out on the second day. I want to be an important part of steering the club back to successful times with hard work and commitment.

… his first impression on the team.

I was there at the start of training, had some contact right away with the team and noticed a good atmosphere. The training also looked good, there was a lot of pace. It's clear that the ambitions are different from the results of the last two seasons. I don't want to go out on a limb today though, because I've only been here for a few days. However, we have to be aware that last year's points average won't be enough to win the title, so we have areas where we need to improve.

… squad planning.

Winter isn't the ideal time for squad planning, but we have to strike the right balancing act. The squad is definitely large. That's not easy for the coaching team either. Everyone has the opportunity to show what they can do in the training camp. After that, we'll see if there's still room for manoeuvre in one direction or another.

Rewatch the entire press conference

"Nobody ever won anything from talking, the work has to come first“