Augsburg make Manuel Baum head coach

According to a statement posted on FC Augsburg's official website on Wednesday, they club has removed the "interim" from the 37-year-old Manuel Baum's title. It said that the new head coach had a "long-term contract" at the club and Alexander Frankenberger would be his assistant "until at least the end of the season."

"We are convinced that Manuel Baum is the correct coach to further implement the philosophy of FC Augsburg and help bring the club forward," sporting director Stefan Reuter said in the statement.

"This is why we want to work with him on a long-term basis. He will not need a major adaptation period, as he has already been at the club for the last two-and-a-half years and has demonstrated that he can successfully implement the club's ideals with the younger teams."

"I am delighted in the trust shown in me by the FCA officials. The work with the team before the winter break was very intense but I enjoyed it a lot, and am looking forward to continuing this work as head coach," Baum said.

The move comes a fortnight after the club surprised many by sacking Dirk Schuster, who had moved from Darmstadt to Augsburg in the offseason. The club then announced that Baum, who had been a youth coach at the club, would take charge of the team until "at least the winter break."

In Baum's first two matches in charge, Augsburg beat Mönchengladbach 1-0 and earned a 1-1 draw in Dortmund.