Jena, June 2, 2026. FC Carl Zeiss Jena clarified the most important personnel matter for the club’s sporting future on Tuesday: Marco Grote will be the new head coach at the Kernberge. The 53-year-old signs a long-term contract with the Regionalliga club until 2028.
- Who: Marco Grote (new head coach of FC Carl Zeiss Jena)
- Duration: Contract until June 30, 2028
- Background: Successor to Volkan Uluc; UEFA Pro License holder
- Focus: Integration of talents from the club’s own youth academy
Experienced Educator with Bundesliga Experience
With the signing of Marco Grote, FC Carl Zeiss Jena brings a proven expert for the development of young players to Thüringen. Grote spent the past three years at Bundesliga club 1. FC Union Berlin. There, he successfully managed the U19 juniors in the Junior Bundesliga and also served as interim coach for the professional team in the Bundesliga.
Previously, the Bremen-born coach gained extensive experience in the youth departments of renowned clubs, including Hamburger SV and SV Werder Bremen, as well as serving as assistant coach at VfL Osnabrück. As a holder of the UEFA Pro License, he also meets the highest formal requirements in German professional football.
Realignment After Uluc’s Departure
The appointment of the coaching position is also a strategic decision for the coming years. Despite a strong sporting performance last season, in which the Thüringen-based team under coach Volkan Uluc narrowly missed out on the division title and thus the promotion playoffs for the 3. Liga, his contract was not extended. The background was differing views on the club’s direction.
While Uluc focused primarily on immediate performance football, FC Carl Zeiss Jena is consistently pursuing its future concept. This involves the targeted integration of young talents from its own youth performance center into the first team. It is precisely at this interface that Grote is now expected to contribute his strengths and master the balancing act between ambitious Regionalliga football and sustainable development.
🏛️ The Ernst-Abbe-Sportfeld and Youth Development
Youth development has traditionally been a central pillar at FC Carl Zeiss Jena. The club’s own youth performance center (NLZ) at the Ernst-Abbe-Sportfeld has been considered a talent factory for East German football for decades. With the stadium reconstruction and improved infrastructure at the Kernberge, the club aims to increasingly enable its own talents to make the leap into the men’s team to ensure long-term economic stability.
Source:
New man on the touchline: Who takes command at FC Carl Zeiss Jena?
Transparency Note: This article was created automatically, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.