Stuttgart could have focused, like many other Bundesliga sides, on defending in a compact structure and trying to set up counterattacks, being reactive rather than proactive. Their defensive vulnerabilities were laid bare on Sunday as Heidenheim orchestrated a remarkable comeback, turning a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead with two rapid counterattacks, both clinically finished by Tim Kleindienst. However, under Hoeness’s tutelage, Stuttgart consistently exhibit a brand of attacking football that is both convincing and effective, as evidenced by that day’s 3-3 full-time scoreline.
“[Stuttgart] have a coach in Sebastian Hoeness who, in terms of his personality, fits the team perfectly,” Thomas Hitzlsperger, a former Stuttgart player and CEO of the club, said. “The people are thrilled about the way he lets his team play football, even more so because there had been many years in which there was not much to celebrate. It is fun again to be a VfB supporter.”
Hitzlsperger even drew comparison to the team in 2007 when he, Sami Khedira, Mario Gómez and others led Stuttgart to their last Bundesliga title. “The processes (on the field) were rehearsed, and we had fun,” he said. “VfB Stuttgart are in a similar phase once again.”
Overcoming Stuttgart’s financial limitations
Hoeness took charge almost a year ago to the day, and his stint has been a success story, especially considering the financial limitations Stuttgart as a club have. They had to let Konstantinos Mavropanos and Wataru Endo leave before the end of the summer transfer window, with the latter making his move to Liverpool only two weeks before deadline day. On the other hand, Hoeness — together with widely respected sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth and chairman Alexander Wehrle — managed to bring in new talent, most notably forward Deniz Undav as well as left-back Maximilian Mittelstädt and midfielder Angelo Stiller.
Interestingly, Mittelstädt, just like Stuttgart’s striker Serhou Guirassy, was considered a failure at certain points in his career. Berlin-born Mittelstädt never really fulfilled his true potential during nine seasons at his hometown club of Hertha. Only nine months after his move to Stuttgart, he was called up by Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann and has a genuine chance to be a starter at Euro 2024. Twenty-eight-year-old Guirassy has so far scored 23 goals in 21 league games, which has attracted a lot of attention from Premier League clubs.
The Guinea international will likely leave Stuttgart this summer, and the future of Undav, who also has just made his debut for Germany, remains uncertain, as he is only on loan from Brighton, of all clubs. If Stuttgart reach the Champions League for the first time since 2010, the clause to make Undav’s loan a permanent transfer will increase to €20 million. Stuttgart have already made one move on the transfer market for next season by signing Nick Woltemade — another somewhat underrated forward who, at 22, is looking for his big break in the Bundesliga — from Werder Bremen.
When Hoeness extended his contract with Stuttgart until 2027, he must have known that next season could prove much tougher, with increased expectations and his players being in such high demand in the transfer market. In a way, he and Bayer Leverkusen‘s Xabi Alonso sit in the same boat, in that the pair did not succumb to potential advances from bigger clubs. Instead, they are both staying put, knowing that things could go downhill to an extent next season.
Whether Hoeness and his team will be affected by such lofty expectations is uncertain. Known for his unwavering focus, he may simply press on with his duties and assertively request the club’s management provide him and Wohlgemuth with the financial backing needed to sustain competitiveness beyond the 2023-24 season.
