Bundesliga: Coach Ilzer sees Hoffenheim as a “top opportunity”

As the new coach of TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, Christian Ilzer doesn’t even know his future stadium yet. “I arrived yesterday evening and everything was already dark. I only noticed the landscape today. I’ve never been to the region before,” said the 47-year-old Austrian when he was introduced to the training center in Zuzenhausen.

German Bundesliga as a “top opportunity”

There, Pellegrino Matarazzo’s successor was given a tour. Of course, he should get to know the arena in Sinsheim before his debut on Saturday (3:30 p.m./Sky) against RB Leipzig. Ilzer sees the new job in the Bundesliga after his double win with Sturm Graz in Austria as a “top opportunity” and “great opportunity”.

In view of the crisis facing Kraichgauer, who are only in 15th place in the Bundesliga and have only managed one win in the Europa League, the new head coach knows: “We don’t have much time.” Neither Ilzer nor Andreas Schicker wanted to commit to a specific target. “It will now be very, very important to score points in the Bundesliga. Although we know that there are now opponents where that won’t be easy,” said the new sports director.

Sturm Graz officials closed in Hoffenheim

The Hoffenheim team had to pay a transfer fee to Sturm Graz for Ilzer, which, according to media reports, was between 2.5 and 3 million euros. In addition to the dream goal of the Bundesliga, the potential of the team and the presence of Schicker were crucial for his move, said the Styrian.

With Schicker, Ilzer and Paul Pajduch (technical director at TSG), virtually everyone in charge of the Austrian champions moved to Hoffenheim. Ilzer also brought his assistant coaches Dominik Deutschl and Uwe Hölzl with him.