Berlin, Oct 24: Troubled Hertha Berlin stick with coach Stevens. Hertha Berlin coach Huub Stevens will stay on for at least two more games despite the team's dismal start to the season, the first division club said on Monday (October 20).
Several German newspapers had predicted that the Dutchman would be fired after a 4-1 defeat by Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday sent the club from the capital to the bottom of the Bundesliga standings. But executive manager Dieter Hoeness told a news conference that Stevens, whose side also made a first-round exit from the UEFA Cup, would keep his job for the time being. Hoeness made it clear Stevens' fate depended on the outcome of Hertha's next two games against Hansa Rostock in the league on Saturday and in the German Cup three days later. Stevens, 49, joined Hertha in 2002 from Bundesliga rivals Schalke 04, whom he had guided to their 1997 UEFA Cup triumph.


Hertha are the only Bundesliga side without a victory nine games into the season. Germany's top-selling daily Bild wrote on its front page on Monday that there was a 99.9 percent chance Stevens would get sacked later in the day.


But the Dutchman, who was ordered to the stands by the referee on Saturday after a heated exchange with Leverkusen co-trainer Ulf Kirsten, took Monday's training before attending the news conference at which Hoeness announced he was staying.


The German Football Association (DFB) said on Monday it would wait for an explanation by Stevens before deciding what action to take over Saturday's incident.


Bureau Report