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Hannover sack coach Schaaf

Chuck PenfoldApril 3, 2016

Hannover 96 have sacked head coach Thomas Schaaf. The coach of the club's under-19 squad, Daniel Stendel, is to take charge of the last-placed Bundesliga team until the end of the season.

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Fußball Bundesliga 22. Spieltag Eintracht Frankfurt FSV Mainz 05
Image: Dennis Grombkowski/Bongarts/Getty Images

Hannover announced that it had parted company with Thomas Schaaf in a statement posted on its official website on Sunday evening.

"We didn't take this decision lightly.Thomas always went about his work in a meticulous and goal-orientated way," the club's sporting director, Martin Bader said. "After the 10th defeat in 11 games, we have decided that we don't want to end the season in this way."

Bader also said the management team hoped this late coaching change would be an impetus that would lead to better performances from the team, which currently sits in last place in the table. The statement noted that being 10 points adrift of 16th place, which leads to the opportunity to avoid relegation through a playoff - the club's management saw virtually no chance of avoiding the drop.

Along with Schaaf, assistants Wolfgang Rolff und Matthias Hönerbach were also given their walking papers.

Schaaf's release is the sevent coaching change in the Bundesliga this season. Among those changes is former Hannover coach Michael Frontzeck, who Schaaf replaced after he was sacked in December.

Schaaf had a long successful spell at Werder Bremen guiding them to the double in 2004. Last summer, he parted company with Eintracht Frankfurt after just one season in charge.