Peter Zeidler takes the Bochum job after the Ruhr club secured their Bundesliga status in the promotion/ relegation play-off. - © IMAGO/Eibner-Pressefoto/Thomas Thienel
Peter Zeidler takes the Bochum job after the Ruhr club secured their Bundesliga status in the promotion/ relegation play-off. - © IMAGO/Eibner-Pressefoto/Thomas Thienel
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Peter Zeidler: Who is the Bochum head coach with links to Ralf Rangick?

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Peter Zeidler has worked at VfB Stuttgart and Hoffenheim, but the Bochum job is his first in the Bundesliga as a head coach. bundesliga.com finds out more about the experienced German tactician...

Stats correct as of 1 September 2024

Peter Zeidler

Age: 62 (born 8 August 1962)
Club: Bochum
Role: Head coach
Country: Germany

Key stats

Zeidler has signed two-year deal with Bochum through to the summer of 2026. It's his first post as a first-team coach in the Bundesliga, though he did work as Hoffenheim assistant between 2008 and 2011. Since then, the former Stuttgart academy & reserves, Aalen, Nuremberg II and Stuttgarter Kickers boss has worked in France, Austria and Switzerland.

Zeidler's longest tenure was at St. Gallen, where he presided over 242 competitive games during a six-year spell. His team never finished lower than seventh, while he led them to the Swiss Super League runners-up berth in 2019/20. The Schwäbisch Gmünd native averaged 1.48 points per game, before switching to Bochum ahead of the 2024/25 Bundesliga season.

Zeidler spent six years as coach of St. Gallen in Switzerland, before arriving in the Bundesliga. - imago images / Geisser

Coaches a bit like: Ralf Rangnick

Zeidler's preference for quick, vertical transitions and high pressing is closely aligned with Rangnick’s philosophies, which perhaps isn't all that surprising. The Bochum coach worked under the so-called 'godfather of Gegenpressing', and architect of the Red Bull game model, at Hoffenheim between 2008 and 2010, before refining his approach at RB Salzburg.

Did you know?

The 2012/13 Austrian Regionalliga West title is the only piece of silverware Zeidler has won as a coach - with Austrian side Liefering. His squad included two current Bundesliga players: Holstein Kiel goalkeeper Thomas Dähne and Borussia Mönchengladbach right-back Stefan Lainer.

Peter Zeidler (r.) was Ralf Rangnick's right-hand man when Hoffenheim took their first steps as a Bundesliga club. - Imago

What they're saying

"With his positive, aggressive playing philosophy and his passionate nature, he brings exactly what we need to continue to develop in sporting terms." - Bochum sporting director Marc Lettau

"He wants to bring order to chaos. He doesn't want to take risks defensively, but wants to play full-risk attacking football." - St. Gallen midfielder Jordi Quintillà