Hoffenheim eye St Pauli coach

Hoffenheim have pinpointed St Pauli coach Holger Stanislawski as 'a favourite' to take charge next season.

Hopp impressed by Stanislawski's attributes as coach

Hoffenheim owner Dietmar Hopp has pinpointed St Pauli coach Holger Stanislawski as 'a favourite' to take charge next season. Current Hoffenheim boss Marco Pezzaiuoli is being replaced at the end of the season after failing to impress since succeeding Ralf Rangnick in January. Hopp is assessing candidates to take over in the summer and has earmarked Stanislawski as a leading candidate despite St Pauli sitting second bottom of the Bundesliga. "Stanislawski is a favourite, but I cannot say whether he will come," Hopp told the Mannheimer Morgen newspaper. "He is always passionate about his team and is a coach who looks after his players." Expanding on the decision to dispense with Pezzaiuoli after just a few months, Hopp added: "Maybe he was just too inexperienced. "The sporting situation is unsatisfactory and there has also been criticism (about Pezzaiuoli) from within the team." Stanislawski still has a year left to run on his contract with St Pauli and a fee would therefore have to be paid to release him from that deal.