Augsburg confirm contract extension for Thorup

FC Augsburg's Danish trainer Jess Thorup has received a one-year contract extension. The 54-year-old's working papers now take him through the end of next season in Germany's Fuggerstadt. Since taking over for FCA trainer Enrico Maaßen last year, Thorup guided Augsburg away from the relegation pack via nine league wins in the 2023/24 Bundesliga campaign. 

Thus far in the current cycle, the Bavarian Swabians have won, lost, and drawn three fixtures. A rout at the hands of 1. FC Heidenheim just prior to the recent international break didn't necessarily leave Thorup in the greatest standing, but a very active transfer window from Marinko Jurendic and the FCA administrative team lends the current head-coach plenty of options with which to work. 

“We are very happy about the extension of our cooperation," FCA managing director Michael Ströll noted in a club statement, "Jess is ambitious, fully shares the philosophy of our club and identifies with the FCA. The integration with our own youth department and the development of players are very important components."

“Jess achieved the decisive turnaround last season and subsequently brought consistency and stability to our performances and results," Jurendic added,  "Under his leadership, both individual players and the team as a whole have continued to develop. The continuation of this collaboration is very pleasing on both a personal and professional level and is a significant step towards continuing our direction and the path we have taken.”

“I felt welcome right from the start and experienced the FCA as a familiar yet ambitious club,” Thorup himself said, "I see enormous potential here and will continue to do everything I can to contribute to the positive and sustainable development of the club”.