Gladbach promotes Roland Virkus as sporting director

MÖNCHENGLADBACH, Germany (AP) — Borussia Mönchengladbach has promoted the head of its youth academy, Roland Virkus, to become the Bundesliga club’s new sporting director. Gladbach says the 55-year-old Virkus will fill the position made available by Max Eberl’s abrupt departure. Eberl quit on Jan. 28 after 13 years as sporting director due to burnout from the pressures of the job. This season has seen a major downturn for the club with Gladbach close to the relegation zone and already out of the German Cup. Virkus has been working at Gladbach since 1990 when he started as a youth coach. He took over as head of academy in 2008.