According to media reports, FC St. Pauli has found a successor for coach Fabian Hürzeler. The Hamburg club is keeping quiet about it.
A few days before the start of preparations for the first season in the Bundesliga after 13 years, FC St. Pauli has clarified the most important personnel question.
According to consistent media reports, Alexander Blessin, who is relatively unknown in Germany, will take over as the new coach. The “Hamburger Abendblatt” and “Het Nieuwsblad” from Belgium reported that Blessin had signed a three-year contract with the newly promoted team. FC St. Pauli initially gave no confirmation. The 51-year-old will succeed Fabian Hürzeler.
The 31-year-old said goodbye a few weeks after the second division championship and the associated promotion to the English Premier League. He will now work at Brighton & Hove Albion. He had only extended his contract in Hamburg in March.
FC St. Pauli received a transfer fee as a result of the move. Part of this must now be invested in the signing of Blessin. The Stuttgart native still had a contract with his previous club, Royal Union St. Gilloise, until 2025. As “Abendblatt” and “Nieuwsblad” reported, the transfer fee is in the six-figure range. Interestingly, British investor Tony Bloom is the strong man at both Brighton & Hove Albion and Royal Union St. Gilloise.
Blessin made a name for himself especially abroad
Blessin played seven times for VfB Stuttgart in the Bundesliga. Otherwise, he was active from the Oberliga to the 2. Bundesliga. As a coach in the professional sector, Blessin has made a name for himself primarily abroad. He initially worked in the youth sector at RB Leipzig from 2012 to 2020. He came to St. Gilloise in 2023 via KV Ostende (Belgium) and Genoa CFC (Italy).
With the team he won the Belgian Cup last season and came second in the championship. In the Conference League he and St. Gilloise beat Eintracht Frankfurt.
Now Blessin, together with sports director Andreas Bornemann, must make the team competitive for the Bundesliga. That won’t be easy. In addition to Hürzeler, key player Marcel Hartel has also left the club for St. Louis. A few new players are still to be expected.
On July 8th, Blessin will get to know his new team for the first time at the start of preparations. The first competitive game is the first round match in the DFB Cup on August 16th against Halleschen FC.
Source: Stern
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