Stuttgart’s Martin Harnik (right) is challenged Marcel Schmelzer, of Borussia Dortmund, during last week’s match.VfB Stuttgart coach Huub Stevens’ job could be on the line when the former Bundesliga champions host Hertha Berlin tonight with another defeat likely to see the Dutchman go.
Stevens, brought in last season to help them avoid relegation, returned again in November to take over from sacked Armin Veh with exactly the same aim.
But his second stint at the 2007 Bundesliga champions has been far less successful with Stuttgart still waiting for their first win of the year and Stevens managing less than a point on average in his 11 games in charge.
Even victory over Hertha unlikely to lift them out of last place with Stuttgart three points behind 17th-placed Freiburg, who also have a far better goal difference.
“We concentrate on what is important for us and that is the preparation for the game,” Stevens told reporters, brushing aside speculation about his future.
“We have to make sure we don’t do anything wrong.”
For the 61-year-old another defeat could mean the end of his term in Stuttgart with his club having lost four matches and drawn two.
“Obviously this is a fateful game but we have other ten fateful games after that,” said the experienced Dutch, who has also coached Hertha in the past.
Stevens said he was doing this job long enough to know how it works.
“This is not my first time in the Bundesliga and I know the business. In the past it was also the case where some people commented but the club reacted well.”
Stevens will be without his team’s top scorer, Martin Harnik, after the Austrian was banned for two games following last week’s red card against Hanover 96.
Hertha have had a marginally better season, lying five points ahead of Stuttgart after managing just two wins in their last eight games but both of them have come under new coach Pal Dardai, who took over in February.
Striker Julian Schieber will not be available for the coming weeks after undergoing surgery on Wednesday but Ivorian Salomon Kalou is improving with every game under Hungarian Dardai.
“I don’t care if he has just three contacts with the ball as long as he scores,” Dardai said of Kalou.
Leaders Bayern Munich will look to continue their march towards the title at Hanover tomorrow while second-placed Wolfsburg, eight points behind on 50, travel to Augsburg.
Programme
Playing today
Stuttgart vs H. Berlin - 20.30
Tomorrow – 15.30
Augsburg vs Wolfsburg
Freiburg vs W. Bremen
Hamburg vs B. Dortmund
Hannover vs B. Munich
Schalke vs Hoffenheim
Mainz vs B. M’gladbach - 18.30
Playing on Sunday
Cologne vs E. Frankfurt - 15.30
Paderborn vs B. Leverkusen - 17.30
Current standings
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| B. Munich | 23 | 18 | 4 | 1 | 63 | 10 | 58 |
| Wolfsburg | 23 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 53 | 27 | 50 |
| B. Mgladbach | 23 | 11 | 7 | 5 | 31 | 18 | 40 |
| B. Lev’kusen | 23 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 37 | 29 | 36 |
| Schalke | 23 | 10 | 5 | 8 | 32 | 27 | 35 |
| Augsburg | 23 | 11 | 2 | 10 | 32 | 30 | 35 |
| Hoffenheim | 23 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 36 | 35 | 33 |
| E. Frankfurt | 23 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 42 | 45 | 31 |
| W. Bremen | 23 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 39 | 49 | 30 |
| B. Dortmund | 23 | 8 | 4 | 11 | 31 | 31 | 28 |
| Hanover | 23 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 26 | 34 | 27 |
| Mainz | 23 | 5 | 10 | 8 | 30 | 33 | 25 |
| Cologne | 23 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 21 | 29 | 25 |
| Hertha Berlin | 23 | 7 | 3 | 13 | 28 | 42 | 24 |
| Hamburg | 23 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 16 | 33 | 24 |
| Paderborn | 23 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 23 | 43 | 23 |
| Freiburg | 23 | 4 | 10 | 9 | 24 | 32 | 22 |
| Stuttgart | 23 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 24 | 41 | 19 |