Regionalliga club D/A have sacked their manager following a heavy cup defeat to Werder Bremen. The club confirmed the dismissal on Tuesday, days after the team lost 5-0 in the first round of the DFB Cup on Sunday.
Decision after the debacle
President Rigo Gooßen drew the consequences from a deepening crisis. The loss to the Bundesliga side was the latest and most emphatic in a series of disappointing results. "We had to make a clear decision," Gooßen said. The search for a successor is already underway.
The team had struggled to compete against the superior Bremen side at the Weserstadion. An early goal after just seven minutes set the tone for the evening. Werder controlled the match and extended their lead to 3-0 by halftime. Two more goals in the second half sealed the emphatic result.
For D/A, the match against Werder was the first competitive fixture of the season. The Regionalliga campaign does not start for another two weeks. The club now aims to use the remaining time to complete preparations under new leadership.
The fourth-tier club had qualified for the DFB Cup via the Lower Saxony association cup. The heavy defeat to Werder, however, highlighted the gulf in class. The team must now focus on the league, where the first matchday is scheduled for the last weekend of August. The full list of fixtures shows all upcoming dates.
In his statement, President Gooßen referenced schlager singer Heintje and his song "Mama." He suggested the club now needs a clear fresh start, similar to the sentiment in the well-known tune. The officials plan to use the coming days to fill the vacant position as soon as possible. An interim coach from the existing staff could take temporary charge of the team.
The focus now shifts to the Regionalliga opener on August 30. The squad aims to use the remaining preparation time to address the defensive issues exposed in the cup. A look at the current squad roster shows which players are available for the tasks ahead.
