06.10.2008

No rush in search for new boss

At today's press conference Borussia president Rolf Königs and director of sport Christian Ziege commented on the current situation following the dismissal of head coach Jos Luhukay.

"We have to look forward and get some points as quickly as possible", said Ziege, who nevertheless joined Königs in reflecting on the successful partnership with Luhukay. "In the second division he was the right man at the right time and he did an excellent job last season. We will never forget him for guiding us to promotion", said Königs. "But of seven Bundesliga matches and two in the DFB Cup we have lost seven, and that isn't good enough. We are lagging behind our pre-season target of staying up. After the Cologne game we sat down to discuss the situation, and yesterday afternoon we came to the conclusion that the best thing for both sides was for us to go separate ways. But we part as friends."

As there had been no question of dismissing Luhukay before the 2-1 defeat against Cologne, Borussia are right at the beginning of their search for a replacement. Ziege already has a clear idea of the requirements the new man will need to meet, but he aims to hold talks and gather information before any announcement can be made. "We need a coach we are convinced can guide us out of the drop zone, not someone who'll only be here for three months", said Ziege. "It's not likely to happen overnight. We don't intend to rush things"