Hannover 96 have dismissed Jonas Boldt from his role as managing director for sport after only five months in the job, cutting short a tenure that was meant to bring long-term stability and guide the club back to the Bundesliga.
In an official announcement on 31 October, the 2. Bundesliga club confirmed that the supervisory board of Hannover 96 Management GmbH had voted unanimously to remove Boldt with immediate effect. Henning Bindzus, who previously oversaw the commercial side of the professional football operation, will now serve as the club’s sole managing director.
Hannover did not publicly provide an explanation for Boldt’s exit. According to a report by local broadcaster NDR, however, he had faced mounting pressure over squad planning, summer transfers, and his role in the sacking of former head coach Christian Titz.
Boldt officially started work on 1 June after his appointment was confirmed in May. Having previously worked at Bayer Leverkusen and spent five years at Hamburger SV, he signed a contract running until 31 May 2029 with responsibility for both the first team and the academy.
Reported tensions over recruitment and coaching changes
NDR reported that Boldt and Titz clashed from the start of their working relationship over squad building and the associated budget. Although Titz had guided Hannover to a fourth-place finish in the 2025/26 2. Bundesliga campaign, the club sacked him in September following a weak start to the current season.
Boldt brought in Sandro Wagner to replace Titz, but results did not immediately pick up. Ahead of their match against Dynamo Dresden on 1 November, Hannover had gone winless through Wagner’s first four games in charge and had been eliminated from the DFB-Pokal by 1. FC Kaiserslautern.
The club’s summer transfer business also drew scrutiny from NDR. Hannover saw key players depart, with Noel Aseko joining Eintracht Frankfurt, Enzo Leopold moving to Borussia Mönchengladbach, and Daisuke Yokota signing for Rangers. Meanwhile, the broadcaster noted that new arrivals Marcel Hartel and Emir Sahiti had not yet delivered the expected performances, and goalkeeper Pascal Loretz was dropped after the opening league fixture.
Supporters had also criticised Boldt over scheduled days off shortly before the derby against Eintracht Braunschweig. While these disputes and recruitment issues were reported as the backdrop to his dismissal, Hannover have not confirmed them as the official reasons for his removal.
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First win under Wagner leaves leadership questions open
On the pitch, Hannover responded to the boardroom change by securing Wagner’s first win as head coach on 1 November. The team came from a goal down at home to defeat Dynamo Dresden 2 to 1.
Nicolai Rapp gave Dresden an 11th-minute lead, before Husseyn Chakroun levelled the score nine minutes into the second half. Marcel Hartel then scored from the penalty spot in the 61st minute to seal the victory and move Hannover up to 12th in the league standings.
While the victory eased some immediate pressure on the team, the club’s long-term sporting structure remains unsettled. By 2 November, Hannover had not named a successor to Boldt. Club leaders must now decide how to restructure the sporting department and determine who will take charge of recruitment and squad planning as they try to get their season back on track.
