Hjulmand has nothing to 'prove' at Leverkusen despite Mainz flop

Hjulmand returns to Germany after a less than successful spell in charge of Bundesliga club Mainz in 2014-15, where he was let go after a run of one win in 13 games. And his last match as a coach was in charge of Denmark at Euro 2024, when his side lost 2-0 to hosts Germany in the last 16.

At his official unveiling, the 53-year-old Dane told reporters: "I don't go into this job, or any job, to prove anything. "I do it because I love the game and the passion behind it. I love the Bundesliga."

The former Denmark coach was named Leverkusen manager on Monday, replacing the sacked Erik ten Hag, with the ex-Manchester United boss sensationally fired after just two Bundesliga matches. 

Ten Hag took over from Xabi Alonso, who oversaw the most successful period in the club's history with a league and cup double in 2023-24, before moving to Real Madrid in the summer. It has been a turbulent off-season and start to the current campaign in Leverkusen.

Several title-winners, including Florian Wirtz, Granit Xhaka, Jonathan Tah, Jeremie Frimpong, Victor Boniface, Piero Hincapie and Lukas Hradecky, followed Alonso out of the door. Hjulmand acknowledged that taking over the club in such circumstances was "hectic", especially having not had a pre-season to work with his new players.

But Hjulmand said that his experience coaching a national team - he took Denmark to the semi-finals of the Euros in 2021, where they lost narrowly to England, before stepping down in mid-2024 - would stand him in good stead. "With the national team you don't have many training sessions, you don't have a pre-season," he told reporters.

"You have to be very precise with your minutes on the pitch - we'll learn from game to game." Leverkusen host Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday having taken a single point from their opening two matches.