Trabzonspor Pursues Thomas Reis as Head Coach
Trabzonspor have accelerated their hunt for a new head coach, with Turkish reports stating the club has entered a decisive phase in talks to appoint German manager Thomas Reis as successor to the late Fatih Tekke.
Club sources cited in the Turkish press say Trabzonspor’s hierarchy wasted no time after Tekke’s departure was confirmed, immediately opening intensive negotiations with Reis, who has already built a strong reputation in Turkey thanks to his work with Samsunspor in the Super League.
Short-term deal, long-term vision
According to Turkish outlet “61saat”, Trabzonspor officials have already held a first face-to-face meeting with Reis, who is currently in charge of Bulgarian giants Ludogorets. During that meeting, the club is said to have presented a clear roadmap for the coming months and outlined the framework of their offer.
The leaked proposal centres on an initial contract running only until the end of the current season. On paper, it looks like a trial spell. Inside the club, it is being framed very differently.
Sources close to the negotiations insist Trabzonspor do not view Reis as a stopgap solution. The short deal is described as a gateway to a longer-term project that would formally kick in based on the team’s results and performances by season’s end. If the partnership clicks, the plan is to build around the German for the future.
Numbers that command attention
Reis’ recent record in Bulgaria is a major factor driving Trabzonspor’s push.
Since taking over at Ludogorets on 12 July 2026, he has led the team in 11 matches and produced a striking return: an average of 2.18 points per game. For a coach still relatively new to that environment, it is a number that underlines how quickly his tactical ideas have taken hold.
That “frightening” figure, as described in Turkish reports, has not gone unnoticed in Trabzon. In a season where margins in the Super League can be brutally fine, a coach delivering that kind of consistency becomes an obvious target.
A coach shaped in Germany, sharpened in Turkey
Reis arrives on Trabzonspor’s radar with a solid and varied coaching background.
He cut his teeth in youth football, working with the under-19 teams at Bochum and Wolfsburg, before stepping up to take charge of the first team at Bochum and later Schalke 04. Those stints in the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga helped shape his reputation as a demanding, hands-on coach with a clear identity.
His first spell in Turkey with Samsunspor then added another layer. That period, highlighted in Turkish coverage, is seen as proof he can adapt to the rhythm, pressure and unique demands of Turkish football. From there, he moved to Bulgaria and quickly imposed himself at Ludogorets.
Now, with Trabzonspor searching for stability and a new technical leader, the path of his career could loop back to Turkey once more. The contract might be short. The project on the table is anything but.
