Former Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand was hired Monday to lead Bayer Leverkusen as a replacement for Erik ten Hag following the Dutchman's abrupt firing last week.
Hjulmand has been out of work since leaving the Danish national team following its last-16 exit at the European Championship in 2024, after four years in charge.
It will be Hjulmand's second stint in the Bundesliga, after less than a year with Mainz in the 2014-15 season.
“I have always seen Bayer 04 as a very well-managed, well-structured and highly ambitious club," the 53-year-old Hjulmand said. “This impression has been confirmed in recent days. It’s an honor to be entrusted with a team like this.”
Leverkusen, which won the Bundesliga in the 2023-24 season after going the entire domestic campaign undefeated, needed a new coach after getting rid of Ten Hag, who had just three games in charge after succeeding Xabi Alonso.
Hjulmand has signed a contract through the end of the 2026-27 season and faces a tricky debut at home to Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday before a return to Denmark to face Copenhagen in the Champions League on Sept. 18.
He hasn't coached in the Champions League since the 2012-13 season with Nordsjaelland, where he'd won the Danish title. Nordsjaelland had one draw and five losses in that campaign and was defeated in Champions League qualification the following season.
The former Manchester United manager was tasked with rebuilding Leverkusen after an exodus of key players, including Florian Wirtz, Granit Xhaka and Jeremie Frimpong, since Alonso’s departure for Real Madrid at the end of last season.
However, chaos soon engulfed the club, with Ten Hag questioning club decisions in the transfer market and collecting just one point from Leverkusen's first two Bundesliga games — a home defeat to Hoffenheim before squandering a two-goal lead to draw 3-3 with 10-man Werder Bremen.
That draw saw players ignore Ten Hag's instructions and argue among themselves on the field over who would take a penalty.
Leverkusen chief executive Fernando Carro commended Hjulmand's “transparent, communicative and empathetic style,” saying: “A newly assembled team like ours, which is capable of development, needs clear guidelines.”
Hjulmand comes recommended by a key member of Alonso's staff. Fitness coach Ismael Camenforte worked for Hjulmand with Denmark and at Leverkusen until leaving for Madrid with Alonso.
Hjulmand's empathy and leadership qualities were especially on show at the European Championship in 2021, when Denmark captain Christian Eriksen collapsed on the field after suffering cardiac arrest during the team's first game against Finland.
Hjulmand was widely lauded for the way he dealt with the emotional aftermath of Eriksen's collapse and subsequent recovery and led the Danes to the semifinals, where they lost to England.
AP Sports Writer James Ellingworth in Duesseldorf, Germany, contributed to this report.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
FILE - Denmark's then head coach Kasper Hjulmand applauds supporters ahead of a a round of sixteen match between Germany and Denmark at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru, File)
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — New Las Vegas Raiders coach Klint Kubiak wasted little time in choosing his offensive and defensive coordinators since being hired less than a week ago.
Raiders defensive line coach and run game coordinator Rob Leonard was officially elevated to defensive coordinator on Sunday.
Seahawks quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko will follow Kubiak from Seattle to be the offensive coordinator, a person with knowledge of the hiring process said Sunday.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity regarding Janocko because that transaction has not been announced.
Kubiak did what the two previous Las Vegas coaches did in selecting a defensive coordinator — look within the staff. Leonard was the defensive line coach the past three seasons and added the title of run game coordinator in 2025 under then-coach Pete Carroll.
Carroll and his predecessor, Antonio Pierce, kept Patrick Graham in charge of the defense upon becoming the Raiders' coach. Graham now is the defensive coordinator with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
In retaining Leonard, Kubiak also could be looking for a way to mend ties with star pass rusher Maxx Crosby. Relations between Crosby and the Raiders became frayed when the organization placed him on injured reserve with a knee injury with two games left last season. Crosby left the team facility upon receiving the news.
Crosby, who underwent surgery last month, said during a recent appearance on “The Herd with Colin Cowherd" that reports he wanted to be traded came from other people and not him. But Crosby, wearing Raiders gear and speaking from the team facility, also did not deny such talk.
As for the 38-year-old Leonard, the Raiders allowed 3.9 yards per rush last season, tied for second in the NFL. They also were third in tackles for loss with 105.
The Raiders were in the middle of the pack in run defense in allowing 116.8 yards per game. But the defense often got worn down because Las Vegas was last in the field in average time of possession at 28:02.
The 37-year-old Janocko will receive a promotion in the move to the Raiders. He and Kubiak were on the Seahawks' staff, with Kubiak serving as the play caller for the Seahawks' Super Bowl-winning team.
Kubiak plans to still call plays, but made a point at his introductory news conference on Tuesday that it's not a one-man operation.
“I’ve never called the game by myself,” Kubiak said. “That’s something we do as a coaching staff together. We plan together. We communicate on game day together — quarterback coach, pass game coordinator, run game coordinator.”
Janocko worked directly with Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold this past season.
Darnold completed 67.7% of his passes for 4,048 yards with 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Drafted third overall by the New York Jets in 2018, Darnold was considered a bust until leading Minnesota to a 14-win season in 2024. Then came another 14-win season with the Seahawks that culminated with Darnold hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
FILE - Seattle Seahawks quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko looks on from the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Oct. 12, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)
Las Vegas Raiders new head coach Klint Kubiak speaks during an introductory news conference at the NFL football team's training facility Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, in Henderson, Nev. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)
FILE - Las Vegas Raiders defensive line coach Rob Leonard reviews a play on an NFL Copilot by Microsoft during the first half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Dec. 21, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Maria Lysaker, File)
