Babbel fears Stuttgart sack

Stuttgart coach Markus Babbel admits his side must win their next two games, or it would be understandable if he were to lose his job.

The 37-year-old is coming under increased pressure after the 3-1 defeat to Sevilla in the Champions League in midweek compromised Stuttgart’s chances of surviving the winter in Europe, and Saturday’s Bundesliga clash with Hannover as well as the DFB-Pokal tie against Furth next week could prove decisive.

“I am not so naive not to know what happens if we don’t get the results,” Babbel told the Bild newspaper.

Although no exact ultimatum has been set, the coach knows that director of sport Horst Heldt will be forced to take action if Stuttgart slip into the bottom three of the Bundesliga with defeat today.

And Babbel has even told him not to shirk his responsibility just because the pair enjoy a strong bond as friends away from the field.

“I told him, whatever friendship we have, he has a job to do and I have mine,” said Babbel.

“I have been in the business long enough to know that when the results don’t come, he will have to act.

“It would not surprise me. Whether he would like to do it or not does not come into it.”