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Jens Lehmann joins struggling Augsburg as assistant coach

Jens Lehmann has joined Bundesliga strugglers Augsburg as assistant coach

Bundesliga strugglers Augsburg pulled a surprise on Monday by naming ex-Arsenal and Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann as an assistant coach. The 49-year-old Lehmann, who last season worked as an assistant to Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, has signed a contract until June 2020 with Augsburg currently battling relegation and just above the Bundesliga's bottom three. "This is a great opportunity for me to work as an assistant coach in the Bundesliga and to help the players produce their best performances," said Lehmann, who is expected to hold a press conference on Tuesday. "FC Augsburg have developed greatly in the last few years, even if current results aren't as good as they'd like." Lehmann will join Augsburg's three assistant coaches under the stewardship of head coach Manuel Baum, who is already under pressure with the team winless in their last 10 games. Augsburg's team manager Stefan Reuter stressed that Lehmann's arrival will not undermine Baum's position, but the 39-year-old is losing the support of his dressing room. Defender Martin Hinteregger complained about his head coach after Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Borussia Moenchengladbach. "Our away form has been going downhill since 2018, that's not a development," said Hinteregger. "I can't say anything positive about him (Baum) and I won't say anything negative." Brazilian midfielder Caiuby has also made negative headlines by returning later than planned following the winter break, and said staying with Augsburg "is not exactly the option I like". Reuter said he will talk to Caiuby and Hinteregger in private and believes Lehmann's arrival "will help distribute the work over more shoulders" among the coaching staff. He was also clear that the high-profile Lehmann will "leave most of the media work" to Baum, who welcomed the arrival of his star assistant. "He is an absolute expert with a lot of experience, I'm convinced he will enrich both the coaching staff and the team," said Baum, who did not specify what Lehmann's tasks will be. Lehmann made 61 appearances for Germany, usurping Oliver Kahn as first-choice goalkeeper when they finished third as hosts of the 2006 World Cup. He made 200 appearances for Arsenal, winning the English Premier League title in 2004 and the FA Cup in 2005. His most infamous moment in an Arsenal shirt came when he was sent off after just 18 minutes of their 2-1 Champions League final defeat by Barcelona in 2006 for bringing Samuel Eto'o down outside the area. Jens Lehmann has joined Bundesliga strugglers Augsburg as assistant coach