Daniel Stendel: All you need to know about the new Hearts boss

Daniel Stendel has succeeded Craig Levein as Hearts boss - here's our factfile on the new Tynecastle manager
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The Frankfurt-born 45-year-old began his coaching career at Hannover 96, working his way up through the ranks at the HDI-Arena between 2007 and 2016 after seeing out his playing days with the Reds.

Stendel - whose brother Guido was also a footballer in Germany's lower leagues before turning his hand to coaching - was a forward during his playing career, featuring mostly as a right winger but capable of operating as a centre-forward or on the left flank.

Youth career

Daniel Stendel during his stint as Hannover 96 bossDaniel Stendel during his stint as Hannover 96 boss
Daniel Stendel during his stint as Hannover 96 boss
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1981 - 1992: 1. FC Frankfurt (as FC Vorwärts Frankfurt/Oder)

Senior career

1994 - 1997: Hamburger SV II; 35 goals in 77 appearances

1995 - 1997: Hamburger SV; 0 goals in 7 appearances

1997 - 1998: SV Meppen; 13 goals in 34 appearances

1998 - 1999: FC Gütersloh; 5 goals in 31 appearances

1999 - 2006: Hannover 96; 43 goals in 180 appearances

2006 - 2007: FC St. Pauli; 2 goals in 15 appearances

2007 - 2008: Hannover 96 II; 4 goals in 19 appearances

Managerial career

2008 - 2013: Hannover 96 U17; manager (125 matches; 56.4 per cent win rate)

2013 - 2016: Hannover 96 U19; manager (82 matches; 69.5 per cent win rate)

2016 - 2017: Hannover 96; caretaker-manager + manager (34 matches; 63.2 per cent win rate)

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2018 - 2019: Barnsley; manager (66 matches; 60.6 per cent win rate)

Preferred formation(s) and tactics: 4-2-3-1; 4-4-2 double 6. Stendel utilises a high-press, counter-attacking model - the gegenpress, if you like.

Transfers: Stendel has paid money for just four players during his managerial career, spending a total of £2.43 million on attackers Niclas Fullkrug and Mohamed Darwish plus defender Florian Hubner, who joined Hannover 96 from 1. FC Nuremburg, Schalke and SV Sandhausen respectively while he spent £338,000 to bring Sparta Rotterdam defensive midfielder Kenny Dougall to Barnsley in July 2018.

Notable players coached

Miiko Albornoz - Chilean international who was part of the Malmo side that thrashed Hibs 7-0 at Easter Road

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Ron-Robert Zieler - Former German international goalkeeper who spent time as a youth with Manchester United before going onto play for Leicester, Hannover 96 and VfB Stuttgart

Allan Saint-Maximin - French forward now with Newcastle after spells at Saint-Etienne, Monaco, Hannover 96, SC Bastia and Nice

Hugo Almeida - Nomadic former Portugal international striker who turned out for Porto, Hannover 96, Besiktas, Werder Bremen and AEK Athens among other teams

Ádám Szalai - Towering Hungarian forward who has represented Mainz, Schalke, Hoffenheim, Real Madrid Castilla and Hannover 96 as well as his national team

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Adam Jackson - Current Hibs defender was on Barnsley's books during Stendel's first months at Oakwell

Liam Lindsay - Ex-Partick Thistle defender joined Stoke from Barnsley in the summer of 2019 after playing under Stendel

Ryan Hedges - Aberdeen winger was at Oakwell during Stendel's first season

What they said about Stendel

Former Barnsley CEO Gauthier Ganaye: "We identified him as a candidate as he's a coach that has a style of play that matches the mentality of club and town, it's attacking with flair and high intensity designed to press the opposition. As well as the style, Daniel has the philosophy of using and developing younger players which fits perfectly in our model too."

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Barnsley Supporters Trust: "Daniel... not only gained promotion from League One in his first season in charge, and first season in England, but immersed himself in the town, the values it holds, and the football club. We gained promotion to the Championship playing wonderful, attacking football, combined with a sense of togetherness that brought some fantastic memories for many supporters."

Barnsley fanzine, Ey Up & Down: "Last season our football was a joy to watch. He really got the players working together and they seemed to really enjoy their football. Daniel is a real character - he kicks every ball from the touchline and speaks his mind. He looks after his players and in return just wants 100 per cent effort. Anyone who slacks will find themselves on the bench."

Hibs and former Barnsley defender Adam Jackson: “From week one when [Stendel and his team] arrived it was all about the new philosophy and the way they wanted to play and that last season [relegation] didn’t matter. We all bought into it straight away in pre-season and we have taken that into the league games.”