Hamburg appoint Bruno Labbadia as manager on 15-month contract
Wednesday 15 April 2015 12:14, UK
Bundesliga strugglers Hamburg have announced the shock appointment of Bruno Labbadia as their new coach with immediate effect.
With the former European champions anchored in last place with six matches left, Hamburg announced they had agreed a 15-month contract with Labbadia, who had coached them in 2009/10.
Reports had claimed former Mainz 05 coach Thomas Tuchel was on the verge of a switch to the Imtech Arena, but Labbadia has now been confirmed as the man to take the reins.
The coach's contract is also valid in the second division should Hamburg be relegated. He takes over from interim coach Peter Knaebel, who replaced sacked Joe Zinnbauer in March and will now return to his post as sports director.
"We decided to take this step because we consider the coach question the most important," said Hamburg CEO Dietmar Beiersdorfer.
"With Bruno Labbadia we now have a strong coach who is also experienced in relegation battles."
Beiersdorfer said the club had ended talks with Tuchel after an agreement could not be reached.
Hamburg are the only club with a perfect Bundesliga record, having played every season in the top division since the league's creation in 1963, but that now is in jeopardy.
The 49-year-old Labbadia, a former Hamburg player, has also coached Bayer Leverkusen and VfB Stuttgart among other clubs.
"We have no time to waste," Labbadia added. “Every point matters for us and I am happy that Hamburg has such support from the fans. Because we have to be a unit until the last matchday."
