Bruno Labbadia watched VfB Stuttgart training under a gray sky on Sunday morning. Again and again he talked to his assistant, with individual players or looked at his watch. For how much longer?
The club management's talks about Labbadia's sporting future as a coach of the Bundesliga club remained without an announceable result until noon. Despite speculation about his departure, the 57-year-old was still in office the morning after the 3-0 defeat at 1. FC Union Berlin.
"We continue to hold talks," said CEO Alexander Wehrle at noon to the German Press Agency. Like sports director Fabian Wohlgemuth, Wehrle was on the club grounds the day after the next setback. The cooperation with Labbadia should have been a central topic in the processing of the seventh defeat in the last nine league games. Wohlgemuth had previously announced an analysis that was "about all things".
Wohlgemuth: "Will not watch the sinking"
Almost immediately after the appearance in Köpenick, media reports spread about Labbadia's supposedly imminent end. Wohlgemuth's statements did not sound like a clear denial. "We will not be idle and watch the sinking," said Wohlgemuth instead. "Not being idle means working hard and collecting points from the games that follow." When asked if that should happen with Labbadia, he replied: "First collect points."
Those responsible do not have much time to act. With the quarter-finals on Wednesday in the DFB Cup at second division club 1. FC Nürnberg, the next test awaits before the relegation duel at VfL Bochum on Easter Sunday.
On Sunday morning, Labbadia entered the field for the loose unit of the substitutes together with the still ailing striker Serhou Guirassy, the great VfB hope in the relegation battle. Christian Gentner, Head of the Licensed Players Department at VfB, stopped by the training ground from time to time. Vice President Rainer Adrion was also spotted on the club grounds.
Stuttgart's frightening record
Labbadia is already trying as the third coach of the Swabians this season, the concerns have been immense since the beginning of the season. Pellegrino Matarazzo had to leave after VfB didn't win one of the first nine games of the season. A brief upswing with Michael Wimmer was not enough for the interim coach to be promoted.
"We have three coaches, all with very different profiles. That means we won't find the sole culprit," emphasized sports director Wohlgemuth. Just one win from eleven games in the league under Labbadia says a lot, seven defeats from the past nine games even more so. Since the 0-1 draw against VfL Wolfsburg two weeks ago, VfB has been last, and VfB is even worse off under him in the table. Now, with the bankruptcy of the Champions League candidate Union Berlin, the start of the all-important phase after the international break also failed.
VfB presents itself well, there is no reward
The hoped-for Labbadia effect did not materialize. The 57-year-old came up with the reputation of being able to save teams from relegation in December. He also managed to stay up in the league with VfB in his first term between 2010 and 2013. Now the third relegation of the five-time German champion since 2016 is getting closer.
"Bottom of the table, it's just that there's a lot of criticism. Nobody sees what's positive," said Labbadia. His team had impressed for half-time, but didn't reward themselves and didn't take advantage of the chances. "You can't say you didn't see a well-formed team today. However, we have no arguments."
In the end, it's not always the fault of the coach, said goalkeeper Fabian Bredlow. He is not the team, just a player and he wants to continue with Labbadia. "Everyone is now well advised to sweep their own front door after the game and see what they could have done better," said Bredlow. "It's the way that has to make us think."
