Former Bundesliga coach Alexander Nouri is no longer working in football – but McDonald’s.
The 46-year-old former attacking midfielder, who featured for the likes of Werder Bremen and Holstein Kiel in his playing career, did his coaches badges in 2016 with current Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann, but has now opted to drop out of the sport.
After retiring from playing in 2011, he coached at the likes of VfB Oldenburg and also had a brief period as Bremen manager, last coaching at Kavala, which he left in 2022.
He is now a manager of two McDonald’s restaurants; one in Herzogenrath, a small town in North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany, and one in Kohlscheid nearby.
‘Ultimately, both worlds are about bringing people together. In football, it’s the players; here, it’s the employees,’ he told German publication Suddeutsche Zeitung.
He added: ‘The basic principle is the same: you have to understand who is in front of you, what motivates him, what he needs to perform.’
Former Bundesliga manager Alexander Nouri has quit football to work in McDonald’s
The former attacking midfielder coached at the likes of Werder Bremen before calling it a day
But it seems the hunt for stability was the driving factor behind his change in career.
‘When you sign your contract, you’re also signing your dismissal,’ he added.
Nouri helped Bremen to survival in 2017 after being promoted from his role as interim boss to permanent manager, and also took them close to European qualification.
The following year, though, he was sacked 10 games into the season after they started the season without a win in those matches.
‘Alex was tasked with a very demanding challenge last season, and successfully mastered it. We’d like to thank him for that,’ Bremen CEO Frank Baumann said at the time.
‘He has what it takes to be a successful coach. I am convinced that he will continue on his path elsewhere.’
Nouri did, but has opted to now step away from the game, at least in the short-term.
