After Hürzeler’s departure, Alexander Blessin becomes new coach at FC St. Pauli
Alexander Blessin has made a name for himself as a professional coach, especially abroad
© Virginie Lefour / Belga / DPA
Now it’s official: FC St. Pauli has signed Alexander Blessin as its new coach. He is looking forward to “challenging the really big clubs in the Bundesliga at Millerntor”.
Bundesliga football club FC St. Pauli has found a successor for promotion coach Fabian Hürzeler. The Hamburg club signed Alexander Blessin on Thursday. The 51-year-old was under contract with Belgian cup winners and runners-up Royal Union St. Gilloise last season. Blessin is to be presented at a press conference this afternoon. FC St. Pauli’s preparations for the new season start on July 8th.
“With Alexander Blessin we have been able to gain an internationally experienced coach for FC St. Pauli. He brings a lot of tactical knowledge and has already worked in the top division in Belgium and Italy, as well as internationally,” St. Pauli’s sporting director Andreas Bornemann was quoted as saying in a press release from the club. There was initially no information about the terms of the transfer or the duration of the contract.
The new coach is looking forward to his job with the Kiezkickers: “FC St. Pauli has an incredible appeal in Germany, but also internationally. The club stands for clear values and ambitious work in professional sport. It is therefore a great task to coach the club in the Bundesliga after a long time in the second division.”
Alexander Blessin won the Belgian Cup
After the departure of successful coach Hürzeler to Brighton & Hove Albion in the English Premier League, FC St. Pauli was looking for a new head coach to lead the team into its first Bundesliga season in 13 years. Since Blessin still had a contract with the Belgians until 2025, FC St. Pauli will most likely have to pay a transfer fee. The club also received money for Hürzeler’s transfer.
Blessin played seven times for VfB Stuttgart in the Bundesliga. Otherwise, he was active from the Oberliga to the 2. Bundesliga. As a coach in the professional sector, Blessin has made a name for himself primarily abroad. He initially worked in the youth sector at RB Leipzig from 2012 to 2020. He came to St. Gilloise in 2023 via KV Ostende (Belgium) and Genoa CFC (Italy).
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He won the Belgian Cup with the team last season and came second in the championship. In the Conference League, he and St. Gilloise beat Eintracht Frankfurt. Now Blessin, together with sporting director Andreas Bornemann, must make the team competitive for the Bundesliga. That won’t be easy. In addition to Hürzeler, key player Marcel Hartel has also left the club for St. Louis. A few new players are still to be expected.
Blessing wants to approach Hamburg’s first Bundesliga season after 13 years in the second division “with unity in the team and the entire club”: “I am incredibly excited to challenge the really big clubs in the Bundesliga at Millerntor.”
On July 8th, Blessin will get to know his new team for the first time at the start of preparations. The first competitive game is the first round match in the DFB Cup on August 16th against Halleschen FC.
Note: This article has been updated.
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