Verbeek targeting survival at Nuremburg

New Nuremberg head coach Gertjan Verbeek has admitted survival in the Bundesliga is his main goal this season.

The 51-year-old has agreed a contract until June 2015 with the struggling side and believes he can bring an upturn in their form.

Nuremberg are yet to win a league match this season and lie third bottom in the table having taken just six points from their opening nine matches.

Verbeek – who has never managed outside of his native Netherlands before – cannot wait to get started and revealed he is already planning for his first game in charge against Stuttgart on Friday.

“I have fallen in love with this club. I am pleased to have the chance to work here,” he said. “We want to play an attractive brand of football.

“There are great traditions here in Nuremberg at a historic club.

“I had my first talk with the coaching team today. We will quickly put the focus on Stuttgart.

“I of course have some ideas. But it is always about the qualities of the players.

“The goal this season is to stay away from the lower reaches of the table.”

Raymond Libregts will take up the role of Verbeek’s assistant.