Mitch Kniat named new Holstein Kiel head coach

Kniat, 40, takes over at bottom-placed Kiel after guiding Arminia Bielefeld to 3. Liga promotion and a DFB Cup final in 2025.

Holstein Kiel have appointed Mitch Kniat as their new head coach following Tim Walter's dismissal. Kiel sit bottom of Bundesliga 2 with just eight points from 11 games after a 2-1 defeat to Kniat's former club Arminia Bielefeld.

Kniat, 40, spent three seasons at Bielefeld, where he secured promotion from the 3. Liga in 2025 and led them to the DFB Cup final that year, eliminating holders Bayer Leverkusen in the semi-finals before losing 4-2 to VfB Stuttgart in Berlin. He has also worked at Verl and managed Paderborn's reserves for five years.

Kniat will be joined by assistants Dani Jara and Janik Steringer. Kiel face a demanding schedule, starting with an away trip to promotion-chasing Wolfsburg on 21 November, followed by a home game against Kaiserslautern, a DFB Cup tie at home to Cologne, and a relegation battle at Karlsruhe.