‘I coached Arsenal flop and World Cup ace – now I work for McDonald’s’ | Football | Sport
Former Arsenal star Serge Gnabry’s ex-manager has completely transformed his career path after ditching football for McDonald’s. Alexander Nouri coached the current Bayern Munich winger at Werder Bremen during the 2016-17 campaign, guiding the club to a remarkable relegation escape through an 11-match unbeaten streak that featured nine wins.
Their exceptional league form during the crucial final stages of the season – which saw former Arsenal talent Gnabry net 11 league goals – ultimately propelled the Bundesliga side to an eighth-place finish. Nevertheless, Nouri was dismissed in October 2017 following a winless start to the new season across the opening 10 league fixtures.
Nouri launched his sporting journey as a professional player. After hanging up his boots following a 14-year playing career, he moved into coaching. He obtained his coaching qualification in 2016, completing the course alongside Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann. After his time at Bremen, Nouri took charge of FC Ingolstadt and subsequently became interim manager of Hertha Berlin, though both appointments proved brief.
A period as assistant to Jurgen Klinsmann with the United States national team preceded his next managerial position at Greek club Kavala. Following three victories in 15 matches, Nouri was relieved of his duties. He has now opted for a dramatic career change by abandoning football to begin overseeing two McDonald’s restaurants.
Based in Herzogenrath, a modest town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, as well as Kohlscheid, the father-of-two revealed his unexpected choice to walk away from the sport. In an interview with German publication Suddeutsche Zeitung, Nouri said: “Ultimately, both worlds are about bringing people along. In football, it’s players; here, it’s employees. But the basic principle is the same: you have to understand who’s sitting in front of you, what motivates them, what they need to perform.”
Acknowledging his desire for stability in his life, he explained it was something unattainable whilst pursuing a career in football. Recalling a phrase from his coaching course, he said: “When you sign your contract, you’re also signing your dismissal.”
Apart from a loan stint at Hoffenheim, he’s remained in Bavaria for the duration of his career and has played a part in six league titles and a Champions League victory. He’s also been a fixture in the international setup for a decade and has scored 25 goals in 57 appearances for Germany, who he represented at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
