Who is Roger Schmidt? Meet the manager who Leeds United could replace Daniel Farke with

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Roger Schmidt is a vastly experienced football manager currently out of work who has been linked with Leeds United.

Daniel Farke’s position at Leeds United is looking increasingly fraught the longer the 49ers go without publicly backing him.

The manager has guided Leeds back to the Premier League at the second time of asking and done so while playing exciting football with a team that hardly concedes, either.

It’s been a great campaign as Farke earned his third Championship promotion but there are concerns over his ability to keep Leeds in the top flight.

Farke has won just six out of 49 games in the Premier League, has been relegated from it once and lasted just 11 matches into his second season.

Though it has been pointed out that Farke wasn’t backed in the transfer market by Norwich City either time, it doesn’t make for good reading when Leeds need to stay up amid plans to expand Elland Road.

With Leeds ‘considering’ sacking Farke, Roger Schmidt has emerged as a potential replacement and here is everything you need to know about him.

Who is Roger Schmidt?

Roger Schmidt never expected to be a football coach but has gone on to enjoy great success.

His first foray into management was with German fifth-tier side Delbrucker SC but he left football in 2007 to fully focus on his engineering job and family.

However, an offer from SC Munster pulled him back. When he was sacked three years later, a clause in his contract stipulated the club would find him an engineering job in the city. However, he instead committed to being a football manager.

Schmidt slowly started to climb his way up the ladder. Paderborn was his next club before he was scouted out by RB Salzburg, where he worked alongside Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner.

After success in Austria, he was hired by Bayer Leverkusen and has since gone on to manage PSV Eindhoven and Benfica, winning trophies with both.

Schmidt was sacked by Benfica in August 2024 after two years and is now looking for a new post.

Roger Schmidt links with Leeds United

It remains uncertain if Farke will be in charge of Leeds when the new Premier League season begins in August.

A report in The Guardian named Schmidt – along with Davide Ancelotti and Giovanni van Bronckhorst – among three possible replacements for Farke if Leeds do sack the German.

Was Roger Schmidt a footballer?

Yes, Schmidt played the game for nearly two decades but never reached a particularly high level.

As a midfielder, he toured the regional league clubs in the Rhine area of Germany, entering into management by becoming player-manager at Delbrucker SC in the fifth tier. While playing, he studied mechanical engineering before making it his career.

When and where was Rodger Schmidt born?

Schmidt was born on March 13, 1967, in Kierspe, West Germany. As of May 2025, he is 58 years old.

How tall is Roger Schmidt?

The German stands at 6’2″ tall.

Roger Schmidt teams coached

Schmidt has enjoyed a nomadic career, managing eight clubs in five different countries.

• Delbrucker SC: 2004-2007
• Pr. Munster: 2007-2010
• Paderborn: 2011-2012
• RB Salzburg: 2012-2014
• Bayer Leverkusen: 2012017
• Beijing Guoan: 2017-2019
• PSV Eindhoven: 2020-2022
• Benfica: 2022-2024

Roger Schmidt stats

Here are Schmidt’s career stats as a manager so far.

Roger Schmidt trophies won

Schmidt has enjoyed a lot of success during his illustrious managerial career and won several trophies.

Red Bull Salzburg trophies

• x1 Austrian Bundesliga: 2013-14
• x1 Austrian Cup: 2013-14

BJ Guoan trophies

• x1 Chinese FA Cup: 2018

PSV trophies

• x1 KNVB Cup: 2021-22
• x1 Johan Cruyff Shield: 2021

Benfica trophies

• x1 Primeira Liga: 2022-23
• x1 Supertaca Candido de Oliveira: 2023