After a dream season, VfB Stuttgart is losing its captain, its top scorer and its defensive constant. The fact that the Swabians are nevertheless confident is down to the man on the touchline.
"I have to be honest, I don't know what to do now." Sebastian Hoeness began his short speech on May 4 with these somewhat embarrassed words. VfB Stuttgart had just beaten Bayern Munich 3:1. The fans had then reminded the coach of a promise he had made in December. Even then, the fans wanted the coach to "climb the fence" to celebrate with them. He would do that "when we have achieved something", said Hoeness.
Now the time had come. The victory against the record champions meant qualification for the Champions League - the first in 15 years. So Hoeness kept his promise, climbed onto the fence with a microphone and let "his heart speak" in front of the Cannstatt curve. It was indescribable what the team had been able to experience together with the fans this season, said Hoeness. But he didn't want to talk for long, because the applause belonged to "the boys down there. They are so outstanding".
It speaks for the coach that he immediately passed on the appreciation shown to him. The fans know exactly what influence Hoeness had on the team, which had narrowly avoided relegation the year before.
Little enthusiasm at the start
In early April 2023, the VfB management appointed Hoeness as coach. He had signed a contract independent of the league affiliation, as the team was at the bottom of the table at the time. With Pellegrino Matarazzo, interim coach Michael Wimmer and Bruno Labbadia, three other coaches had already been on the sidelines at the unsuccessful Stuttgart side this season before Hoeness.
The fans' joy at the appointment was limited, as little was known about the new coach. Born in 1982, he is one of the younger generation. He had previously only been head coach once in the top division. However, Hoffenheim had not pulled any strings in the two seasons under him. The fact that he is the nephew of Bayern legend Uli Hoeness did not win him any additional sympathy points with the Swabians - on the contrary.
But Hoeness left a lasting impression on the final matchday at the latest. After the 1:1 draw against Hoffenheim, the mood in the Neckarstadion was depressed. Although direct relegation had been avoided, the hoped-for rescue failed to materialize. Stuttgart had to go into relegation. Hoeness rallied the disappointed players one by one and clenched his fist in the direction of the fans. His body language conveyed: We will not be relegated. In the following duel against Hamburg, Stuttgart impressed across the board, winning 3:0 and 3:1.
Hoeness makes players better
Against this background, what happened in the following season seems all the more astonishing. In the shadow of the all-conquering Leverkusen team with coach Xabi Alonso, Hoeness' Stuttgart team wrote their own fairytale. Second place was the best finish since the sensational championship title in 2007 (with Ludovic Magnin and Marco Streller), with Stuttgart even picking up three points more than in the championship season.
On the one hand, targeted reinforcements in the summer were responsible for this success, many of them at the request of Hoeness. On the other hand, the coach has succeeded in forming a team from talented players. In Stuttgart, he is therefore already known as the "improver". For example, Chris Führich (26 years old), Maximilian Mittelstädt (27), Waldemar Anton and Deniz Undav (both 28) were all called up to the German national team for the first time last season and were ultimately taken along to the European Championships.
Switzerland's Leonidas Stergiou also returned to the national team after a lengthy absence and even made European Championship appearances. The 22-year-old defender said that he had learned a lot over the past year during the European Championship preparations in "his" Stuttgart. Even if he had to be patient and only played regularly towards the end of the season.
Inspired by Guardiola
Hoeness cites one of the greats in the coaching business as a role model. "Pep Guardiola's football is incredible," the Munich native told "The Athletic". "When he was Bayern coach, opponents could hardly breathe. Some found it one-sided and boring. I was carried away by it." He was lucky enough to be able to speak to Guardiola for a good two hours during his coaching training. "He and the Spaniards in general have a much more philosophical approach to football. They are more concerned with the players enjoying handling the ball. And that's the reason why we all love the game."
Inspired by this, Hoeness also played exciting football. That aroused interest. In addition to Anton, Serhou Guirassy, the second-highest scorer in the previous Bundesliga season, also moved to Borussia Dortmund. Defender Hiroki Ito signed for FC Bayern, with whom Hoeness was also linked. However, Ito decided to stay and signed a contract until 2027.
Even though the departures of top performers to league rivals are painful, confidence prevails in Stuttgart. Hoeness is confident of getting the best out of the team again, which now also includes Fabian Rieder from Bern. The Supercup, in which VfB only lost to double winners Leverkusen on penalties, was an indication that Stuttgart can be reckoned with even in the difficult season of confirmation.
SDA
