After 13 years, FC St. Pauli is back in the Bundesliga – with a new coach on the sidelines. Alexander Blessin was aggressive at his introduction and seemed impressed by his new employer.
Alexander Blessin will coach FC St. Pauli in the future. picture alliance/dpa
“It was never the plan that I would have to return to Germany and train in Germany at some point,” Alexander Blessin assured. “I never had a career plan, I was more concerned with what I could do, with my style? What style of play would be suitable?” After the third conversation with sports director Andreas Bornemann, the 51-year-old coach had his answer: FC St. Pauli. “It just fits. It’s an opportunity and I want to take advantage of it.”
On Thursday morning, the Bundesliga newcomer announced its new coach, and in the afternoon he presented himself to the public and approached the press with his relaxed manner. “I think this is my first press conference in German, which is also something new. Maybe I’ll talk a bit more then,” announced Blessin, and immediately put it into action. He, the previous coach of the local runner-up and cup winner Union Saint-Gilloise, was “bombarded” with many emails from all over Belgium after the burgeoning rumors about his move to the Kiez-Kickers. “They just said ‘wow, awesome club, great thing’ – and that’s what it says in the end.”
FC St. Pauli has an “incredible charisma” and Blessin also likes its tolerant attitude. “In the first conversations it was curiosity. The more we talked about it, the more interesting it became. And in the end I’m sitting here now and I’m really looking forward to this challenge.”
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A challenge that will now take Blessin into German professional football for the first time in his coaching career after stints in Ostend, Genoa and Saint-Gilles. And one that the Stuttgart native is not going to give up on with the newly promoted team in their first Bundesliga year since 2010/11. “I’m not afraid of any names. This is not supposed to be an adventure, this is a clear message,” said Blessin, providing initial ideas on how he wants to transport the football shown in the 2nd Bundesliga to the top flight.
No Hürzeler 2.0, but with similar goals
Blessin is impressed by the football played by his predecessor Fabian Hürzeler, who moved to Brighton, although he wants to distance himself from the 31-year-old: “Fabian delivered an incredibly good performance here. But I’m not Fabian 2.0, I’m Alexander Blessin.” Of course, there will be fewer opportunities to play with the ball in the Bundesliga. Nevertheless, it is important to “find a balance” between playing with and against the ball, with the former being given priority. “We want to maintain this aspect of being brave in both directions,” said Blessin.
But now it’s time to get to know the team. The FC St. Pauli promotion heroes are still on vacation, and he has only been able to talk to Philipp Treu, whom Blessin already knows from his eight years in the RB Leipzig youth team. On July 8, the team and coach will be on the pitch together for the first time.
2024-06-27 14:14:37
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