Cologne stick with Solbakken despite defeat
Reuters - Sunday 01 April 2012, 15:05
Cologne shot down reports they
had sacked coach Stale Solbakken on Sunday, saying the Norwegian
would remain in charge of the Bundesliga side as they battled to
avoid the drop.
Cologne lost to Augsburg 2-1 on Saturday to drop to the
relegation play-off spot in 16th place, triggering the wrath of
the club board and fans who confronted players upon their
return.
The former Bundesliga champions said however that they would
"turn the corner" with Solbakken rather than letting him go now.
"There will be drastic changes in the way the team prepares
for the game against Werder Bremen [next week]," Claus
Horstmann, the club's director, said in a statement after most
major German media had reported Solbakken had been fired.
"These changes are the task of Stale Solbakken and we have
discussed this with him."
Werner Wolf, head of the shareholders' group said Solbakken
would spearhead their efforts to stay up.
"We are convinced, after a string of intensive discussions,
that we can turn the corner with Stale Solbakken," said Wolf.