Markus Babbel Takes Charge Of Stuttgart

VfB Stuttgart have sacked Armin Veh in the aftermath of Saturday's 4-1 defeat to Wolfsburg, which left them in 11th place in the Bundesliga.

Veh has a Bundesliga title in his locker but Stuttgart will now call on former Liverpool and Germany defender Markus Babbel to look after team affairs.

Babbel took training on Sunday and will move into the role of team manager, Stuttgart have now confirmed.

Former reserve team boss Rainer Widmayer will be the new coach, working alongside Babbel

I think this is great news for him and hopefully he will do a great job.

Good Luck Babbel!


Link To Article

Yes good luck Markus,shame your career at Anfield ended with a life threatening illness.I hope you can turn things around for Stuttgart 

Wish you all the best Markus you deserve it.

Good luck to him.  Didn't he say he'd love to come back here coaching one day?

Pleased for the guy.  I thought he was a hugely impressive figure at Anfield during his time with us, and his top flight career was unfortunately cut short due to his debilitating illness.

I'm sure he will be a great success.

Hope your a success Markus you deserve to be

Fancy buying Voronin or Dossena off us?

Was in LFC mag in the summer saying he would like to manage us in the future.

Good luck at Stuttgart, Markus.

Still one of the best right backs we've had since the 80s and I can still remember his mental, Crazy horselike celebrations after his goal at Goodison.

Still one of the best right backs we've had since the 80s and I can still remember his mental, Crazy horselike celebrations after his goal at Goodison.

That's one of the things I think of when I remember Babbel.

Good luck Markus.

Good luck mate, always be welcomed back to Anfield when you bring Stuttgart over.

Fancy buying Voronin or Dossena off us?

He can have them for free as part of a good luck gesture

Would love us to play them in a friendly in the next pre-season period. Maybe at Anfield so he gets a big reception?

Hope your a success Markus you deserve to be

Fancy buying Voronin or Dossena off us?

He won't have much success if he buys those two now will he ?

Good luck to him

Fancy buying Voronin off us?

Thats a bit unfair on Voronin remember we got him for free so any contribution thats good that he makes is a plus
However he shouldnt have the number 10 shirt give it to Robbie Keane then maybe hell start to score regularly like he did at Tottenham and every single other club hes played for

Good luck Markus hope you give Rafa some good deals on your finest players

Anyone know the final result of stuttgarts game today, I know they were 1-0 up against Schalke.

Babbel must quit Stuttgart at end of season

BERLIN - Markus Babbel's future as VfB Stuttgart head coach has been placed in doubt after the German FA said on Tuesday it would only allow him to manage the Bundesliga side until the end of the season.

The former Stuttgart assistant coach took over as team manager last month after the sacking of Armin Veh but does not have the qualifications to coach in Germany's top division.

"Markus Babbel may only carry out the role of head coach at VfB Stuttgart until the end of the 2008-9 season," the German FA said in a statement.

"The decision to allow him to coach until then was taken on account of the fact that he possesses a (lower level) A-licence and was already part of the coaching staff at Stuttgart.

"But any further extension has been ruled out."

A Stuttgart official told Reuters it would not be possible for Babbel to get the necessary qualifications this season.

The official said there would be no further comment from the club until after Thursday's decisive UEFA Cup Group C match at home to Standard Liege.

Babbel's lack of qualifications has not prevented him making an impressive start to his Bundesliga coaching career.

Since taking over from Veh, the former Germany international has steered Stuttgart to two wins and a 2-2 draw on Saturday against his former club, Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.

http://fourfourtwo.com/news/restofeurope/22505/default.aspx

Shame for Babbel that he doesn't have the right papers when you consider how good he has done. I am sure once he gets his qualification that he will find a team.

Been sacked.

Babbel axed by Stuttgart

Stuttgart have sacked coach Markus Babbel after a dismal run of form saw them plummet to 16th in the Bundesliga table.

Babbel's final match at the helm was Saturday's 1-1 home draw with lowly Bochum, who grabbed an 89th-minute equaliser despite being down to 10 men.

Around 2000 Stuttgart fans protested outside the Mercedes-Benz Arena after the match, where Babbel, director of sport Horst Heldt and club president Erwin Staudt were holding crisis talks.

The former Liverpool defender emerged from the meeting to say that he was not going to be rushed into making a decision on his future, but events have now overtaken him.

A club statement read: "Markus Babbel is no longer the coach of Stuttgart.

"The board has today relieved head coach Markus Babbel and his two assistant coaches Rainer Widmayer and Alexander Zorniger of their duties."

Progress

The removal of Babbel comes just three days before Stuttgart are to contest a crucial Champions League game against Unirea Urziceni, where victory would see the 2007 German champions progress to the knockout stage.

Babbel took over from Armin Veh at the Stuttgart helm on 23rd November last year, just days before a Uefa Cup tie at Sampdoria.

The 37-year-old was given special dispensation to stay on as coach until the end of the season despite not holding recognised coaching badges.

The former Reds and Bayern Munich defender nevertheless led the Swabians from mid-table obscurity to third place come the end of last season, sealing a place in the Champions League in the process.

SSN Article.