Marcel Rapp takes over at FC St. Pauli – Humility and a clear message to the 2. Bundesliga

Experience from Holstein Kiel

For Rapp, it is his first post after a roughly four-month break, which he described as an "extended summer holiday." During that time, he said, he watched a great deal of football and gained an overview of various leagues. "Ich habe viel Fußball geguckt, ich habe mir einen Überblick verschafft über viele Ligen, weil ich einfach noch mehr Zeit hatte. Und deswegen kam es mir jetzt gar nicht so lang vor," the 47-year-old explained. During the break, he and his family remained in the area around Kiel.

Rapp brings plenty of experience from German professional football. He spent about four and a half years in charge of Holstein Kiel, guiding the club into the Bundesliga for the first time in 2024. Following Kiel's relegation, the club parted ways with him on February 24, because at one stage even a drop into the 3. Liga had loomed. At St. Pauli, Rapp now sees the chance to stabilize a club along similar lines to what he once achieved in Kiel.

Coach Schuster comes along

As his assistant, Rapp will be joined by Jens Schuster, who most recently served as chief scout at Holstein Kiel and had already worked with Rapp in the youth setup at TSG Hoffenheim. The 49-year-old is the third assistant coach in St. Pauli's staff alongside Peter Németh and Erico Cortez. Schuster is thus already familiar with the coaching duo from previous joint stations.

In terms of content, Rapp set the guardrails for his work in his first press conference. "Laufen, kämpfen, Leidenschaft" is the first commandment for his new team, the coach said. Beyond that, he wants to "inhaltlich ordentlichen Fußball spielen. Und dann sind wir auch bereit, in der Liga zu bestehen." This mix of fundamental virtues and playing quality is meant to form the foundation for the coming second-division season, in which St. Pauli initially wants to be in the upper third of the table.

Squad planning in full swing

Rapp did not yet want to formulate concrete season goals at the time of his presentation. "Ich bin jetzt ganz neu da und muss mir einen Überblick verschaffen über den Kader. Und da wird ja vielleicht auch noch was passieren, bevor man dann konkret über Ziele spricht," he said. Pre-season preparations for the new campaign begin on June 26 – by then, the squad must be assembled and initial tactical decisions made.

There is no shortage of personnel questions at the moment. According to media reports, defender Hauke Wahl is set to move to fellow relegated side VfL Wolfsburg. Eric Smith and Joel Chima Fujita are also among the candidates who could still leave St. Pauli. A squad overhaul is therefore likely, which further increases the task facing the new coach.

Bornemann justified the coaching change with the need to set fresh impulses. "Und den kriegen wir wahrscheinlich mit einem anderen Trainer besser hin," the sporting director said. The club had spent two years working through the Bundesliga experience together with Blessin and ultimately arrived at a separation that deserved "the necessary care and time": "Ich glaube, es ist durchaus verständlich, dass man für so eine Personalie auch die nötige Sorgfalt und Zeit sich nimmt."

Bornemann explains the change

Beyond the parting of ways with Blessin, Bornemann stressed that the club is looking forward to the important season ahead. "Insofern bin ich sehr, sehr froh, dass wir dann auch in der Folge eine Lösung gefunden haben, diese wichtige Saison, die jetzt bevorsteht, gemeinsam angehen zu können," he said. The respect for his predecessor Blessin was not called into question – in the end, however, the decision was unavoidable.

At least in the medium term, St. Pauli is still aiming, according to Bornemann and Rapp, for a place in the top 25 of the European club football rankings. "Aber grundsätzlich ist das Ziel von St. Pauli schon länger die Top 25. Und ich glaube, das ist der Anspruch, dem man auch gerecht werden kann," said Rapp. Bornemann confirmed this goal as the sporting benchmark for the coming years.

Outlook on the new season

For the 47-year-old, a phase now begins in which he has yet to get to properly know the club, the city and the environment around the Millerntor. With Schuster, however, he is bringing a trusted figure who knows both the 2. Bundesliga and parts of the scouting system from Kiel inside out. This combination of his own experience and a well-drilled assistant coach should make the start easier for Rapp.

Behind the scenes, squad planning is also likely to play a central role in the coming weeks. With the start of training on June 26, Rapp has little time to get the team ready for the second-division campaign. "Du musst ins Machen kommen, und da fangen wir jetzt schon an. Und wenn die Jungs dann kommen, sind wir bereit, und dann werden wir die Jungs auch gut vorbereiten," the coach announced.

Overall, Rapp came across in his first public appearance with the media as a grounded worker who approaches the challenges of the 2. Bundesliga with respect. Instead of grand announcements, he is banking on humility, hard work and a clear-eyed view of the reality after relegation. This tone is likely to appeal not only to the fans but also to the club's management, which will be calling above all for stability in the coming weeks.