FC St. Pauli

"I'm glad we're able to take an important strategic step for FC St. Pauli today," said club president Oke Göttlich. "With Ewald Lienen as technical director we are investing in sporting expertise and in the values of the club. Ewald will advise the club's decision-makers on footballing matters and issues regarding the club's development. We're delighted that Ewald is available to us for this role. The fact that Ewald has the magnanimity to help to select and hand over the baton to his successor at the high point of a success story is an exceptional story in the football business."

In his new role Lienen will be responsible for training and developing the youth academy coaches. He will also oversee the development and expansion of the club's international cooperation arrangements. Other duties will include looking after club sponsors and social responsibility matters. The 63-year-old will also serve as a consultant to the club decision-making bodies, the club secretary, and the coaches.

"With Ewald Lienen we are filling areas that will improve the structure of the club in the long term," said director of sport Andreas Rettig. In Olaf Janssen we also have an absolute professional as our new head coach who has met the expectations placed on him when he was appointed assistant coach." Lienen's contract has been extended by another two-and-a-half years and will now run to 31 December 2020. Janssen's existing deal is valid to 30 June 2019.

"I first spoke to Oke Göttlich and Joachim Pawlik about a role with the aim of moving the club forward as early as December 2014," said Lienen. "But as I was appointed head coach, we only recently resumed these talks. We decided that, having successfully fought off relegation, now is the right time for this change of positions. I'm really pleased we've been able to persuade Olaf Janssen to become the club's new head coach. In the season just ended he proved he has the quality to be successful in this role."

Janssen is really looking forward to his new role and very optimistic: "I'm delighted the club has given me the trust and the opportunity to serve as head coach. I'd like to thank Ewald Lienen, in particular. Our working relationship has been extraordinary and I'm glad he's staying on at the club. Along with the coaching staff and the players I'll do my utmost to ensure we don't have another jittery season like the one we've just had. We know it won't be a walk in the park, however, and that we'll have to work hard for it."

Photos: Witters