Stuttgart put Hinkel in temporary charge

Former Celtic star Andreas Hinkel has been appointed interim manager of Stuttgart and could land the job permanently.

The German full-back spent three years at Parkhead from 2008 and made over 100 appearances for the club when Gordon Strachan was in charge, until he left to join Freiburg, only to quit the game a year later following knee problems.

Hinkel – who made over 200 appearances for Stuttgart

0 Andreas Hinkel: Words here

– then moved into coaching when he took charge of their youth academy kids and then became a coach with the reserve team.

He was then appointed manager of Stuttgart II, who play in the fourth tier of German football in their Regionalliga Sudwest.

The club’s manager, Tayfun Korkut, became the first casualty of the Bundesliga at the weekend after a defeat left them bottom of the table.

Now Hinkel will take charge “until further notice” and is in the running to get the job.

Stuttgart sporting director Michael Reschke said: “He will be the coach until further notice. The lack of progress since the start of the new season and the negative results prompted the decision.

“Tayfun Korkut took over the team in very difficult circumstances last season, and secured our place in the Bundesliga ahead of schedule on the back of a sensational run.”