New St. Pauli coach Alexander Blessin will face his former club this Sunday in a home match against RB Leipzig. The 51-year-old worked in Leipzig's youth academy for eight years from 2012 to 2020, during which time he mainly coached the club's U17 and U19 teams.
"It's been four years now, during which I've also had the opportunity to coach a few other clubs. There aren't that many players left at Leipzig: Kampl, Orban, Gulacsi, Haidara and Poulsen of course, a very fine character," said Blessin. "At the end of the day, it's part of my past. It was eight years for which I am very grateful. But I'm just happy that we have a home game against a strong opponent and can show that we can do a bit more than in the last game."
In Leipzig with Hoeneß, Klauß and Beierlorzer
In RB's youth academy, Blessin worked with numerous coaches who went on to start a career in the professional game: These include Sebastian Hoeneß (VfB Stuttgart), Robert Klauß (Rapid Vienna) and Achim Beierlorzer, who is now sporting director at Jahn Regensburg after spells at 1. FC Köln and Mainz 05.
"You can see a structure. That speaks for Leipzig, because they've been successful for years," said Blessin about the work and the special style of play in Leipzig. "But every coach has gained another facet - through experience, through new players, through new input."
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