A new broom sweeps clean. The management at VfB Stuttgart acted according to this maxim last weekend when they released coach Jens Keller. Bruno Labbadia, who played up front for Bayern from 1991 to 1994, scoring 28 goals in 82 Bundesliga outings, is the new man at the Stuttgart helm. The former striker has been set the target of pulling the Swabian side from the drop zone as soon as possible - and VfB fans hope the fightback will start in Sunday’s South German derby. fcbayern.de spoke to Labbadia about his new role, and the two matches against Bayern, first in the Bundesliga, and then in the DFB Cup three days later.
Interview: Bruno Labbadia
fcbayern.de: Greetings from Martin Hägele, our FCB All Stars manager. He’s hoping you can make an appearance or two for his team now you’ve moved a bit closer to Munich.
Bruno Labbadia: “Thank you very much. It’s true about being closer, but there’s a lot of work to do at VfB Stuttgart, so we’ll have to wait a while for the next All Stars appearance despite the geographical proximity.”
fcbayern.de: You’re the third coach at Stuttgart since the start of the season. What do you expect now you’ve taken this job on?
Labbadia: “I’m well aware we’re in a relegation battle, which will probably run to the last game of the season. Survival is the only game in town, and I expect my players to appreciate that too.”
fcbayern.de: What’s your impression of your new team after the first few days in charge?
Labbadia: “It’s clear to me that the team is not exactly brimming with confidence after recent results. The main focus in training sessions has been to work on a cohesive approach to games and to reactivate the individual strengths of the players.“
fcbayern.de: You play Bayern twice in three days. Which game is more important to you and the club?
Labbadia: “We’re next to bottom in the Bundesliga and we desperately need to clock up some points. Getting through to the next round of the DFB Cup is very lucrative. So both games are equally important to us.”
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