Brentford striker Kevin Schade has sacked his representative Maik Barthel following disparaging remarks made about Union Berlin’s appointment of Marie-Louise Eta as interim assistant coach.
Earlier this month the German side parted ways with head coach Urs Fischer, with former U19s boss Marco Grote taking over on an interim basis, with Eta, who joined the U19s staff in the summer, moving to the first team with him.
Eta, who won the Champions League and three Bundesliga crowns with Turbine Potsdam as a player, is set to become the first female coach to appear on a men’s Bundesliga bench when Union host Augsburg on November 25.
Marie-Louise Eta is working as interim assistant to Marco Grote at Stadion An der Alten Forsterei
Barthel is the CEO of football players agency Eurosportsmanagement, and former representative of Barcelona forward Robert Lewandowski.
Schade has been sidelined since September after undergoing surgery on an adductor injury
He reacted to the news of Eta’s appointment on X, formerly Twitter, by saying: “An assistant coach has to be in the locker room @fcunion? Please don’t make German football look ridiculous. It was already enough that the team’s hierarchy was completely destroyed with transfers.”
That was deleted from his account before a new post said: “I have to rephrase it. Making a co-coach an issue will not help @fcunion to put the destroyed team hierarchy back in order.”
However, Schade told Sky Germany Barthel’s views were not compatible with his own and he decided to part company with the agent.
“It’s right, I parted ways with my agent, because I absolutely do not share his attitude and views and I cannot accept them as they are,” the 21-year-old said. “I stand for openness, equality and diversity. And that’s how I want to feel represented.”
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Brentford finalised Schade’s permanent move to the club from Freiburg in June following an initial loan in January. He signed a five-year contract for a fee of £20m – a club record.
Sky Sports News has contacted Barthel for comment.