Hannover head coach Thomas Schaaf has said he expects to see out the rest of his contract with the Bundesliga club even if they are relegated.
Schaaf has won one and lost seven of the games he has taken charge of since succeeding Michael Frontzeck during the winter break.
Those results have left Hannover seven points away from the relegation playoff spot and nine adrift of safety with nine games left.
Schaaf was appointed on a contract that is only valid until summer 2017 if he succeeds in keeping Hannover up.
But he told NDR television there was an option "on both sides" to convert the contract and make it valid in the second tier.
He said he "certainly expects to have one and a bit years left to go on my contract with Hannover."
"Of course it doesn't look very good at the moment, but I accepted this challenge with Hannover knowing how big it was, and I've tried to change things," he said.
"I'm still trying, and everything is still possible. I'm not worried about my reputation -- I'm just focused on the challenge."