Paul Simonis follows in the footsteps of Dutch coaches Andries Jonker, Ton Lokhoff, and Mark van Bommel at VfL Wolfsburg. When it comes to the cup competition, however, the coach certainly hopes not to follow the example of the latter.
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Paul Simonis is preparing for his first official match in charge of VfL Wolfsburg, a DFB-Pokal first-round encounter away to Hemelingen on August 16 at 15:30, and while much of the focus is naturally on his tactical plans and starting eleven, there is one subject that simply could not be avoided in the pre-match press conference: the spectre of one of the most infamous moments in recent Wolfsburg cup history Mark van Bommel’s substitution scandal.
Simonis becomes the fourth Dutchman to take the Wolfsburg helm, following in the footsteps of Andries Jonker, Ton Lokhoff, and Van Bommel. All three left their mark in different ways, but it is Van Bommel’s debut in the DFB-Pokal that continues to linger as a cautionary tale. In August 2021, Wolfsburg travelled to face Preussen Münster in the first round and, after a hard-fought 90 minutes, eventually secured victory in extra time. The celebrations, however, were short-lived. In the process of managing his squad, Van Bommel had made six substitutions one more than the competition rules permitted. The error was not spotted in time, and when the oversight was confirmed, the result was overturned. Wolfsburg were handed a 3-0 defeat on paper and were embarrassingly eliminated from the competition before it had even properly begun.
It was an extraordinary lapse for a club of Wolfsburg’s stature, and it caused waves not only in Germany but across Europe, where football fans and pundits debated how such an oversight could occur in the modern game. It also became a permanent part of Wolfsburg’s DFB-Pokal narrative, a small chapter of football history that has since been used as a reminder of the importance of meticulous matchday management.
So when a journalist at Thursday’s press conference asked Simonis if he was “well aware of the substitution rules,” the implication was immediately clear this was a question loaded with historical context. Initially, Simonis didn’t quite understand the meaning in German and replied, “Sorry, I don’t understand the question.” The club’s press officer stepped in to provide some background, reminding him of the 2021 incident. At that point, a smile broke across Simonis’s face as the memory clicked. “Ah, yes. That moment,” he acknowledged, noting that he had heard of it before.
Simonis has been taking intensive German language lessons since his arrival to ensure smoother communication with both the media and his players, and this small moment revealed both his willingness to adapt and his awareness of Wolfsburg’s recent history. Once the context was clear, he addressed the matter directly, injecting a touch of humour into his reply while making his stance crystal clear. “No, that won’t happen,” he said with a grin. “Sorry, I didn’t quite understand the question at first. But yes, I know the rules. Of course, that wasn’t a good situation. Everyone makes mistakes, but we have a good team manager and a good goalkeeping coach who make sure we don’t make more substitutions than allowed.”
The answer drew laughter from the room but also served as reassurance to the fans that the club has learned from its past. Simonis emphasised that there are now layers of support staff from administrative coordinators to technical staff who monitor such details during matches, meaning the possibility of another “Van Bommel moment” is virtually eliminated.
Beyond this off-field talking point, the Hemelingen match carries significance for Simonis for other reasons. As his first competitive outing, it is an opportunity to stamp his authority on the team, test his early tactical ideas, and begin building momentum ahead of the Bundesliga season. While Wolfsburg are overwhelming favourites against a lower-division opponent, the DFB-Pokal has a long tradition of upsets, especially in the early rounds when elite sides are still finding their rhythm. Hemelingen, with the backing of a vocal home crowd and nothing to lose, will aim to frustrate and disrupt the Bundesliga side.
Simonis is approaching the match with full respect for the opposition. He knows that in knockout football, complacency is dangerous. His challenge is twofold: ensure that the team delivers a convincing performance to progress comfortably and manage the matchday environment so that no avoidable distractions like the infamous substitution fiasco overshadow the football.
This debut also marks the beginning of what Wolfsburg hopes will be a more stable era after recent managerial changes. For Simonis, showing organisation, professionalism, and a clear identity from the outset will be just as important as the final score. And if nothing else, his handling of the press conference question proved one thing: he is ready to face Wolfsburg’s history head-on, even the embarrassing bits, while making it clear that under his watch, such errors will remain firmly in the past.
Updated: 03:39, 14 Aug 2025
