In the relegation battle of the women’s Bundesliga
SGS Essen signs former national player as head coach
December 17, 2025 – 6:45 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
Robert Augustin had to leave SGS Essen months ago. Now the club has finally presented a successor to the dismissed head coach.
SGS Essen has hired Heleen Jaques as its new head coach. The Belgian is supposed to save the club from relegation from the women’s Bundesliga. Jaques will take over from January and will succeed Robert Augustin, from whom SGS parted ways in October after a weak start to the season. The sporting director Thomas Gerstner also had to leave at that time.
In the future, Jaques will lead daily training together with the current interim coach Jessica Wissmann and the extended coaching team, the club statement said. The 37-year-old most recently looked after the Belgian club KAA Gent. Her engagement there ended in October. During her active career, the 97-time international player also played for Turbine Potsdam, among others.
“The SGS is a club with a very family identity,” said Jaques about her new role. “The short-term goal is of course to stay in the league, but in the medium term this very identity of the club must be recognizable everywhere – on and off the pitch.” She is really looking forward to the support of the fans in the stadium on Hafenstrasse.
Jaque’s new team had recently shown positive development and has now been unbeaten in five competitive games (three wins, two draws). Nevertheless, the lead over the relegation zone in the Bundesliga is only two points. On Friday the SGS welcomes Eintracht Frankfurt in front of their home crowd. The first Bundesliga game for Jaques as Essen head coach is scheduled for January 25th. The team then plays against Hamburger SV.