Werder Bremen sack coach Skripnik

BERLIN: Werder Bremen’s Viktor Skripnik on Sunday became the first Bundesliga coach sacked this season after a fourth straight defeat marked the club’s worst ever start.

After nearly two years in charge, mostly battling to avoid relegation, the 46-year-old was axed in the wake of Saturday’s 4-1 German league defeat at Borussia Moenchengladbach when Bremen leaked three goals in the opening 21 minutes.

His assistant coaches, Florian Kohfeldt and ex-Germany international Torsten Frings, have also left the club.

The Gladbach defeat leaves Bremen bottom of the German league table with zero points and 12 goals conceded after just three league games.

Under-23 coach Alexander Nouri will stand-in as first team coach until a successor is found for Skripnik, a former Ukranian international who helped Werder to a league and cup double as a player in 2004.

The decision to relieve Skripnik of his duties came on the bus ride home from Gladbach with Bremen to host Mainz on Wednesday in the German league.