Second division football club FC Hansa Rostock quickly found what they were looking for in their search for a successor to coach Patrick Glöckner. On Wednesday, the club introduced Alois Schwartz as the new coach. He should save the Mecklenburgers from relegation.
The 55-year-old will take over the post until the end of the season. The veteran had last been on the sidelines at league rivals and bottom of the table SV Sandhausen, but was relieved of his duties there in February.
Schwartz, who is bringing his long-time assistant coach Dimitrios Moutas to Rostock, will lead the first training session at Hansa in the afternoon. The team will then move into a short training camp in the Malchow region from Thursday to Saturday.
Third head coach this season
After just one win from the past eight games, Hansa had slipped to the penultimate place in the table. After the Mecklenburg team parted ways with promotion coach Jens Härtel in November 2022, Schwartz is now the third head coach this season.
Pieckenhagen: “Finding back on the road to success”
“It was important to us that we get a coach who knows the fight for staying up in the second division. We are therefore happy that the talks with Alois Schwartz led to a quick agreement,” said sporting director Martin Pieckenhagen. “With his many years of experience and the unity of the entire club, we want to get back on the road to success in the remaining games of the season.”
“With the power of such a traditional club and its loyal fans, we should still be able to get the necessary points.”
— Alois Schwartz
“I’m pleased that those responsible at FC Hansa trust me with this responsible task and I will do everything possible to leave the relegation zone together with the team by the last day of the game,” said Schwartz. “With the power of such a traditional club and its loyal fans, we should still be able to get the necessary points.”
Hansa just against Sandhausen
The obligation also carries a certain explosiveness: On the third to last match day of the season (May 12), Rostock travels to Schwartz’ former club Sandhausen of all places. The first competitive game for the new boss at the Rostocker Bank increases after the international break on April 2nd. Then the Mecklenburgers have to compete at 1. FC Magdeburg.
“We want to use the international break so that Alois Schwartz can get to know the team and the two assistant coaches Nicolas Masetzky and Uwe Ehlers better and we can work together intensively as quickly as possible,” said Pieckenhagen.
Get offensive and home weakness under control
The Rostocker’s biggest construction site, which Schwartz needs to tackle as quickly as possible, is the offensive. With only 21 goals scored, Hansa has the worst attack in the league. In addition, the second major problem should be in focus: the weakness at home. With only ten points, Hansa has the weakest record of all 18 second division teams. The last win came under Härtel on September 17 last year in a 3-1 win over Magdeburg. The first opportunity presents itself on April 9th. Holstein Kiel is a guest at the Ostseestadion on Easter Sunday.
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sports compact | 03/22/2023 | 08:00 a.m
