Stuttgart coach Markus Babbel insists he is responsible for the club's current crisis. The Bundesliga side lost their fifth game in a row in all competitions last night as they were knocked out of the DFB Pokal 1-0 by second division Greuther Furth.

Babbel said: "We allowed one chance through and the ball ended up in the back of the net. From all of the chances we had we couldn't make one of them count. It's as simple as that. In the cup it's not in the least bit interesting who plays the better football, it's all about who scores the decisive goal.

"We can't just shut up shop now though. I hate to lose. We must press on. It certainly won't get easier and I am responsible. I am still convinced of the ability of the team."

I hate to lose. We must press on. It certainly won't get easier and I am responsible.
Markus Babbel

Stuttgart have won just twice in 10 games in the league this term and only goal difference is keeping them out of the bottom three. That run of results has piled the pressure on Babbel, who only took took over from Armin Veh in November last year.

Sporting director Horst Heldt suggested, though, it is the players who need to start performing for the coach. He said: "I don't know if it's just bad luck that we are having. The decisive factor is that we didn't make any of the many chances we had count.

"It was a mirror image of the game against Hannover (which Stuttgart also lost 1-0). We wanted to progress to the next round here and we haven't achieved that goal. It would have been a good time for us to notch up a win tonight. The situation is not easy now and it's not getting any easier. The trainer can't put the ball in the net himself."