Babbel to stay on as Stuttgart coach

STUTTGART - Markus Babbel will remain VfB Stuttgart coach at least until the winter break despite their free fall into the relegation zone.

“We will not sacrifice a coaching team that is working very hard,” said Stuttgart president Erwin Staudt Tuesday.

Staudt said the club officials will make a review during the winter break and then decide on the future.

Babbel’s days appeared over after a 4-0 debacle at Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday which dropped Stuttgart to 17th and second-from-last place.

Babbel said he was happy with this vote of confidence and at the same time announced that Thomas Hitzlsperger is no longer team captain.

Many observers have said in recent weeks that the captain role has been a burden rather than an honour for the Germany midfielder Hitzlsperger, an assessment Babbel agreed upon.

“He is not the man to blame. I wanted to rid him of that burden to allow him to concentrate on his game again. We need him in top form,” said Babbel.

Sports director Horst Heldt and Staudt have firmly blamed the team, and not the coaches, for the bad results in recent months, with Staudt saying that some players may have to go in the winter break.

“The 4-0 defeat in Leverkusen will have consequences. But they will be felt by those who don’t participate in reaching our aims,” Staudt warned.