TSG reorganise coaching staff

"We're very satisfied with our current coaching staff; so it was never on the cards, even in our discussions about the upcoming change of coach, that we would implement many changes. Nonetheless, we're convinced that there is a need for even greater individualisation and specialisation when it comes to the daily work with the senior squad and the optimisation of links to the youth setup," explained director of football Alexander Rosen, who subsequently added: "To ensure an improvement in terms of quality, we needed a high degree of expertise and suitable personnel." Hence why an expanded team has been assembled to support the new head coach Alfred Schreuder going forward.

"Dick Schreuder has a lot of experience as a player and a coach, and as a person he's a very good fit for TSG. He's a really valuable addition for us and will link up very well with Alfred and the already existing team," said Rosen. Before moving to the Kraichgau, the Dutchman worked as an assistant coach for MLS club Philadelphia Union in the United States. For the three and a half years leading up to January 2018, he had been the head coach of Dutch third-tier side VV Katwijk. Beforehand, between 2013 and 2014, he was part of Edgar Davids' coaching staff at then fourth-tier English club FC Barnet. As a player, "Dick" Schreuder was a midfielder who made 95 appearances in the Dutch Eredivisie for PSV Eindhoven, Sparta Rotterdam, FC Groningen and RKC Waalwijk, as well as enjoying a spell in England with Stoke City.  

Meanwhile, Timo Gross will take over as the new co-coach for match analysis in July. The 28-year-old has already been closely involved in first-team affairs in his most recent position as coordinator for match analysis. Gross joined TSG in the autumn of 2013 and will henceforth lead the expanded "Match Analysis Department" alongside his position as a co-coach. "Timo was trained in the TSG academy and is another outstanding example of the fact that we don't just develop and promote talented players, but that we also train experts who are later appointed to positions of responsibility in highly specialised fields within professional football," said Rosen. In addition to Gross and the Schreuder brothers, TSG will continue to work with a number of tried-and-tested members of their Bundesliga crew from recent years: Matthias Kaltenbach, Pellegrino Matarrazzo, Michael Rechner (goalkeeping coach), plus athletics coach Christan Weigl, rehab coach Otmar Rösch and prevention coach Christian Neitzert.

The TSG Hoffenheim Bundesliga team will kick off their pre-season preparations for the 2019/20 campaign with an open training session in Zuzenhausen on Saturday 29 June (14:30 CET).