STUTTGART: Former United States defender Steven Cherundolo joined Bundesliga club Stuttgart on Tuesday as an assistant coach.
Stuttgart said the 38-year-old Cherundolo, who was last in charge of Bundesliga rival Hannover's under-17 team, joined with Ilija Aracic as a co-trainer for head coach Tayfun Korkut, who was appointed as Hannes Wolf's replacement on Monday.
Stuttgart parted company with Wolf on Sunday following the team's 2-0 loss to Schalke. It was Stuttgart's sixth loss in seven Bundesliga games and it left the club only three points above the relegation zone.
Cherundolo is breaking his association with Hannover, which he joined as a player in 1999 before going on to make 302 Bundesliga and 68 second-division appearances. He was captain from 2010 until he ended his playing career and began coaching in 2014. Cherundolo also made 87 appearances for the United States.
The 47-year-old Aracic is returning to Stuttgart after coaching the club's under-19 team from 2012-15. He was last in charge of fourth-tier club FV Illertissen.
Aracic, a former striker, made 25 league appearances for Hertha Berlin, while he also had spells at second-division teams Chemnitzer FC, Tennis Borussia Berlin and Arminia Bielefeld.
Korkut and his new coaching team have been charged with ensuring Stuttgart does not make an immediate return to the second division after securing promotion as division champion under Wolf last season. The 36-year-old Wolf had been in charge since September 2016.