Stuttgart turn to Labbadia after dismissing Keller
Sunday, December 12, 2010
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VfB Stuttgart have entrusted 44-year-old Bruno Labbadia with reviving their ailing Bundesliga fortunes after sacking Jens Keller with the club one place off the bottom in the German top flight.
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Bundesliga strugglers VfB Stuttgart have sacked coach Jens Keller and replaced him with former Hamburger SV boss Bruno Labbadia.
Under Keller, the Swabian outfit amassed nine points from as many league games after he succeeded Christian Gross in mid-October. He leaves the club with Stuttgart one place off the foot of the German top flight but through to the last 32 of the UEFA Europa League having wrapped up top spot in Group H with a match to spare.
Dismissed by Hamburg three days before the second leg of the UEFA Europa League semi-finals last season, Labbadia has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract and concedes that "time is running out" for the 2006/07 Bundesliga champions to rescue their ailing domestic campaign. "It is an interesting task but also one that I will approach with a lot of respect," said the 44-year-old, who has also been in charge of Bayer 04 Leverkusen.
"I'm aware that it's a tough situation for the club and time is running out, but I'm convinced we will manage to prevail and we will do everything possible to achieve that." Labbadia's first league game at the helm will be at home against FC Bayern München next Sunday following the visit of Odense BK in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday.