How an Underrated Danish Coach Transformed Mainz from Relegation Contenders to Champions League Aspirants

While Bo Henriksen flew largely under the radar regarding his coaching prowess in Denmark, he has carved out a noteworthy reputation in the German Bundesliga by transforming Mainz 05 from a relegation threat into a club with ambitions of securing a Champions League berth, primarily by fostering a deep love for the game among his players.

Mainz is renowned for its connection to Johannes Gutenberg, the inventor of the printing press, its charming wine regions, vibrant Carnival festivities, and of course, Jürgen Klopp. This is the place where the esteemed former Liverpool manager began his coaching journey in 2001 after making 325 appearances for Mainz, before moving to Borussia Dortmund in 2008.

Yet, another Klopp might be emerging at Mainz in the form of Bo Henriksen, a 50-year-old Danish coach who joined the club last February from FC Zurich when relegation seemed imminent.

Both Klopp and Henriksen share similar traits on the sidelines and in the media, displaying considerable passion, energy, and charisma, coupled with the exceptional ability to unlock the full potential of their players.

Upon announcing Henriksen’s hiring, sporting director Christian Heidel described him as a “coaching figure that is emotional, open, opinionated, and radiates immensely positive energy”.

Increasing pressure and disappointing results made players withdraw

Henriksen’s knack for energising his players and reversing negativity positioned him as the ideal candidate for a club mired in difficulty, with Mainz languishing in 17th place, nine points adrift of safety and only 13 matches left.

The coach, who earned the nickname “Happy Bo” in Switzerland due to his constantly upbeat disposition, faced a daunting challenge when he took over from Jan Siewert, who was dismissed after a dismal run of only one win in 12 outings. However, Henriksen arrived boasting strong credentials, having revitalised a struggling Swiss side that he transformed into a competitive outfit, suffering just six losses in the subsequent seven months.

In his quest to uncover the reasons behind Mainz’s decline, Henriksen discovered that the escalating pressure and poor performances had caused the players to become withdrawn.

“I wanted to understand what they perceived as the issue and how we could alter our fortunes. What I found was a protective instinct. They had reached a level where they feared failure, felt uneasy on the pitch, and started blaming external factors to shield themselves,” Henriksen explained to the German media.

“How can I assist you?”

As part of his methodology, Bo Henriksen began posing questions to the players that he had never encountered during his own playing career. “The first thing I asked my players was: ‘How can I assist you?’ This truly perplexed them,” Henriksen remarked.

He realised that he needed to adopt a more robust approach while still rejecting an environment where players felt mentally drained by the prospect of incurring the coach’s wrath.

“The players must feel that I have faith in them. For us to achieve anything together as individuals, we need someone to believe in us, appreciate us, and wish for our success. Otherwise, we’ll act out of fear or merely for financial gain instead of thinking, ‘This is amazing!’ If you can cultivate a group where members feel valued and included, then anything is possible,” stated Henriksen.

This personal approach has yielded remarkable results at Mainz, and Henriksen has been instrumental in reinstating the “Mainz DNA”, with coaches, staff, and players all taking pride in a philosophy that champions a tenacious style of play as their only means of competing against teams with far superior financial resources.

A coach tailor-made for Mainz

In a recent interview with Kicker, midfielder Nadiem Amiri, who has thrived under Henriksen’s tutelage and has earned a place in the German national team, remarked that Henriksen is “precisely the type of coach Mainz required”.

“I have never met a football coach like Henriksen,” stated Amiri. “He exudes positivity, energy, and exceptional professionalism. His approach towards the players and the entire club is truly distinctive. Everyone adores Bo. He’s wonderfully unconventional and precisely what Mainz needed.”

Players appear rejuvenated, with Jonathan Burkardt (currently 4th in the scoring chart with 14 goals this season) rediscovering his goal-scoring form after a lengthy spell out due to a serious knee injury. Playmaker Lee Jae-sung has emerged from a significant slump, and Anthony Caci, the French wing-back, is once again brimming with confidence.

As a team, Mainz boasts the second-best defensive record in the league, having conceded just 26 goals, trailing only Bayern Munich, who have let in 23. Much of this defensive solidity can be attributed to goalkeeper Robin Zentner, who has saved an impressive 83 percent of the shots he has faced this season, ranking him third in the Bundesliga for save percentage.

This solid defensive foundation has been pivotal to their improvement this season, especially considering they had conceded 51 goals in the previous campaign. In terms of attacking performance, they have also made strides, scoring 42 goals with an expected goals (xG) of 34.59, significantly surpassing statistical predictions.

Second strongest defence in the Bundesliga

At the 19-match mark in the previous season, Mainz had found the net only 14 times, an amount equalled this season by captain Jonathan Burkardt alone.

These goals have propelled them to 13 victories, five draws, and seven losses, nearly doubling their total wins from the entire 2023/24 season (seven).

Henriksen’s achievements at Mainz serve as sweet vindication for a coach who had been persistently underrated in Denmark. Whether due to his rockstar appearance or his occasionally unpredictable and passionate behaviour on the touchline is a matter for speculation, but he has often been viewed as an inspiring motivator lacking the tactical acumen necessary for managing a prominent club. His current success silences all his critics.

“I am who I am, and I have no intention of changing,” Henriksen asserted to Viaplay. “I frequently hear this criticism, which stems from ignorance. I’ve always worked at clubs where conditions were not on par with others, meaning I had to be cleverer than the rest. That’s not achievable without tactical knowledge. I’ve put in considerable effort to reshape my image. When you challenge people’s attitudes, there’s a risk of facing backlash, particularly in Denmark. But like I said, I’m not about to change,” Henriksen concluded.

This coming Saturday, Henriksen and Mainz will potentially chase their 14th win of the season when they take on fifth-placed Freiburg at home in the MAWA Arena.