Alexander Blessin succeeds Fabian Hürzeler as St. Pauli head coach
St. Pauli have named Alexander Blessin as their replacement for promotion-winning coach Fabian Hürzeler.
Hürzeler left Pauli for English Premier League outfit Brighton & Hove Albion after steering the Hamburg-based club back to the Bundesliga for the first time since 2011, as Bundesliga 2 champions.
Blessin spent the 2023/24 campaign in charge of Belgium's Union Saint-Gilloise, overseeing a first-placed finish in the regular season Jupiler Pro League before coming up short in the Championship play-offs, but winning the Belgian Cup. He also scooped the Jupiler Pro League Coach of the Season award.
The 51-year-old, who represented the likes of VfB Stuttgart and Hoffenheim as a player, has signed a deal for an undisclosed length of time.
"St. Pauli has an incredible appeal in Germany, but also internationally," said Blessin. "The club stands for clear values and ambitious work in professional sport. It's therefore a great task to coach the club in the Bundesliga after a long time in the second division."
He added: "We want to tackle this challenge courageously with unity in the team and the entire club. I'm incredibly excited to challenge the really big clubs in the Bundesliga at the Millerntor."
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