Third division soccer club Hansa Rostock will continue to trust its sporting management duo in the future. The extension of the contracts of coach Daniel Brinkmann and sporting director Amir Shapourzadeh was announced at the general meeting on Sunday.
"The extensions are a strong sign of stability and trust. Both Daniel and Amir have provided important impetus in a short space of time and represent exactly the path we want to take as a club," said CEO Ronald Maul. The duration of the contract was not disclosed.
Club held on to duo despite interim low
Shapourzadeh (46) was signed following the Mecklenburg club's relegation from the second division and was supposed to initiate a rebuild with coach Bernd Hollerbach. After parting ways with the unsuccessful Hollerbach in October 2024, interim coach Marcus Rabenhorst stabilized the team with two wins before Brinkmann took over at the beginning of November 2024.
Under the 39-year-old's leadership, Rostock worked their way very close to the promotion places by the end of the season.
The team had fallen to 15th place at one point during the season. Nevertheless, those responsible at the club held on to Brinkmann and Shapourzadeh - and may now feel vindicated. After six games without defeat with four wins and two draws, FC Hansa are back in touch with the promotion places in seventh place.
Brinkmann and Shapourzadeh emphasized their special connection to the former Bundesliga club. "I am proud to be the head coach of this club," said Brinkmann. Shapourzadeh, who played for Rostock himself from 2005 to 2008, said: "As you know, Hansa Rostock is much more than just an employer for me."
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