Stevens for Hamburg
February 2, 2007
Stevens was confirmed as coach just hours after former Bayern Munich coach Felix Magath confirmed that he had turned down an offer to take over the troubled side.
Hamburg official Dietmar Beiersdorfer said that Stevens would later Friday be arriving in the team hotel in Berlin, where the team will be playing their next league match against Hertha Berlin on Saturday.
"We will then discuss the way to go forward," he said, adding that Stevens had signed a contract till the end of the 2007/8 season.
Meanwhile, Stevens is quoted in Bild newspaper as saying that he will not be sitting on the bench against Berlin. "I expect to start my job on Sunday or Monday," he said. "Everything else would be stupid."
Stevens had been coaching Dutch first division club Roda Kerkrade and only left them on Friday to take up the job in Hamburg. He has previously coached Schalke 04, Hertha Berlin and Cologne in Germany.
"It will be very difficult to escape the relegation zone, but we can do it," he said. "We all have to stick together. The individual counts nothing any more, what is important is the team."
Magath won't take job away
Magath on Thursday held two meetings with Hamburg officials to discuss taking over, but afterwards said that he had an ethical problem that prevented him from taking over the club he formerly played for and coached.
"Before Hamburg started talking to me on Thursday they had already reached an agreement with another coach," he said. "I could not take his job away."
Doll pays price for disasterous season
Doll was sacked from his post just before midnight Wednesday after Hamburg's 1-1 draw with Energie Cottbus, a result that left one of Germany's top clubs propping up the Bundesliga standings with just one victory from 19 matches.
Hamburg official Bernd Hoffmann said he regretted the move. "We were certain that we could change our fortunes with Thomas Doll, but our impressions from the last two matches and our results have forced us to act now."
For Doll, who came to the stadium early Thursday to say goodbye to the players, the move was not unexpected. "Of course I am sad. I had two very nice years at the club. I hope the team manages to get out of the relegation zone."