Rosen’s successor in the starting blocks
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At TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, in the midst of the crisis, a solution is emerging for the successor to sports director Alexander Rosen, who was fired in the summer: preferred candidate Andreas Schicker wants to move from Austrian double winner Sturm Graz to Sinsheim. After the historic 5-0 win against former series champions Red Bull Salzburg, Schicker confirmed his personal agreement with TSG on “Sky”.
“The next two to three days will show whether it was my last game in Graz or not. “I have never made it a secret that I would like to move to the German Bundesliga one day,” said the 38-year-old. “It is now the case that there is a concrete offer from TSG Hoffenheim, which is very interesting for me. I’m more or less done with my conversations. Both clubs are talking to each other and are on the right track. I hope there is a solution.”
Schicker considers the time during the international break in the autumn to be a very good time for the change: “There is time for me and a possible successor to get to know all the processes before the next transfer window comes up. In spring the final phase comes and there is unrest again. That’s why I believe that now is the right time.”
Also coach Ilzer from Sturm Graz to Hoffenheim? With “topic not addressed”
Frank Kramer, the youth manager, is currently in office at TSG on an interim basis and was also responsible for the transfer phase. Schicker had continuously shaped Sturm into a top club within four years and this year celebrated the first Austrian championship since 2011, which entitled them to participate in the premier class. He started at the club in 2018 as chief scout before being promoted to managing director of sports in 2020.
Negotiations between the clubs took place in the summer with the help of Schicker: Alexander Prass (23) went from Graz to Hoffenheim, Erencan Yardımcı (22) went the other way on loan. About rumors that Sturm coach Christian Ilzer could replace the criticized Pellegrino Matarazzo at TSG, Schicker said: “It’s the case that there has to be a solution for me between Sturm Graz and Hoffenheim. There is currently a coach at Hoffenheim and I haven’t looked into this topic because I need to get an idea first. I’m not there yet so there’s nothing more to say.”
