"Nobody can know": Dotchev on earlier Aue farewell

Coach Pavel Dotchev has not ruled out an earlier departure from third-division soccer club FC Erzgebirge Aue. "I don't know how long I'll be here. Until the summer or sooner - nobody can know," said the 59-year-old ahead of Sunday evening's match (7.30pm/Magentasport) at Borussia Dortmund II. "I have a contract until the summer and will do my best for the club." During the week, the club announced that it would not be renewing the expiring contract with the coach.

Dotchev did not want to go into any further detail on the subject. He had to accept the decision of the club management. "It doesn't matter if I'm disappointed. My emotional state is irrelevant," said Dotchev. "I can't allow myself to simply let the last few games of mine here go. I have a duty to the team. I have my opinion, but I'll keep it to myself."

Dotchev surprised

The club had not publicly explained its decision. Dotchev, who is currently in his third term of office at Aue, was also apparently tight-lipped with sporting director Matthias Heidrich and co. "I asked what I was being accused of," said Dotchev. "Not much has been said to me specifically. No matter what the reasons are. It's been decided."

On Wednesday evening, there was initial speculation about Dotchev's replacement, and a day later it became official. "There's never a good time for something like this. But how quickly it went from 0 to 100, that the news came out, that surprised me," said Dotchev. In his opinion, the team was "not so happy about it". However, it will not be an alibi for the professionals, who recently picked up seven points from three games.

Players want clarity

The Bulgarian-born coach will now try to block out the hullabaloo and focus on the essentials. "The club has decided to announce this at this time. I don't think that will make it any easier," emphasized Dotchev. Many games had expiring contracts, they wanted to know who would be Aue's coach in the future.

Aue are currently sixth, two points behind the third relegation spot. Dotchev took over the team in December 2022 in a relegation spot and subsequently led them to relegation. Before this season, the coach said that promotion was the goal, but that they were not among the favorites. The club management is said to have been unhappy about this. According to media reports, the relationship between Dotchev and Heidrich is also strained.