Dutt plans 'sustainable development' at Stuttgart
Stuttgart - Robin Dutt has been unveiled as the new sporting director of VfB Stuttgart, assuming a position which had remained vacant since the departure of Fredi Bobic in September.
Back home
The
, Bayer 04 Leverkusen and SC Freiburg coach was presented at a press conference on Tuesday after he signed a four-year contract with the 2007 Bundesliga champions.
Dutt, whose family home is not far from the Baden-Württemberg city, joked that he would "finally be able to fall into my own bed after a day at work", acknowledging at the same time that there is going to be a lot of work to do at the Bundesliga strugglers. "In the ever-changing Bundesliga landscape, the club are facing great challenges," said Dutt. "In the short term, we want to do everything we can to ensure we are successful in avoiding relegation." The mid- and long-term aim, he added, is to "ensure a positive, sustainable development" of a club the 49-year-old hopes to help guide into calmer waters in the coming months.
Convincing concept
"The concept presented to us by Robin Dutt, with a focus on optimising the structures and squad planning, has fully convinced the president and the board," said Stuttgart's chairman Joachim Schmidt. "We're certain that with his competence, experience and his network, as well as his team-orientated management style, he is going to be able to stabilise Stuttgart and develop the club further." One of his first duties will be to determine the future of coach Huub Stevens, whose contract runs only until the end of the season. "I'll discuss it with him at our training camp," Dutt said. "The ball's in his court. Huub calls the shots."
