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Veteran German keeper Ron-Robert Zieler’s much discussed return to FC Köln was officially confirmed on Monday evening. The 36-year-old returns to his hometown club, at which he spent six years training with the youth ranks before moving to the Manchester United academy in 2005, on a €200,000 transfer. Zieler actually spent one year on loan in the cathedral city during the 2020/21 Bundesliga campaign, at that time backing up Timo Horn. He made one league relief appearance that year.
Zieler’s latest return to the Domstädter once again comes under interesting circumstances. Hannover 96 loaned Zieler out to Köln five years ago after a dust-up with then H96 head coach Kenan Koçak and controversial club chairmen Martin Kind led to him losing his starting position. Zieler was Hannover’s regular number one during the 2019/20 season, then regained his starting status with the Lower Saxons the year after returning from the atypical loan spell.
Zieler again joins Köln expected to be the back-up keeper behind number one Marvin Schwäbe. In this case, Zieler forfeited a chance to be a regular 2. Bundesliga starter in order to warm the bench. Zieler started all 34 of Hannover’s German second division league fixtures last season and even managed to keep 11 clean sheets. Unless Schwäbe gets hurt or reconsiders an offer to join America’s MLS, Zieler won’t be working between the sticks.
Zieler offered up some explanation of his choice in a Köln-released statement. As is often the case with keepers of a certain age, the promise of integration into the coaching ranks naturally played a role. Veteran Borussia Mönchengladbach keeper Tobias Sippel (37) recently received specific assurances from his Bundesliga club. Zieler spoke more in generalities.
“Until [Köln sporting director] Thomas Kessler called me, I hadn’t actually thought about a move,” Zieler said. “I had open discussions with both sides. From the outset, I felt that the club [Köln] held me in very high regard and offered me clear prospects for the time after my active career, That was extremely important to me. It was such that I decided for my hometown club.”
GGFN | Peter Weis
