First Bundesliga Coach Gets Ax After Three Weeks

Hanover coach Peter Neururer is the first managerial casualty of the Bundesliga season, tendering his resignation on Wednesday following the club's worst season start in 35 years. He's the 305th coach to leave a Bundesliga team without finishing a contract in the history of the German league.

Hanover lost their opening three matches and Saturday's 3-0 defeat to Alemannia Aachen, who were recently promoted from the second division, nudged them to the bottom of the 18-strong table.

Neururer took over the reins in November of last year, but despite the excitement of the 51-year-old's arrival, the club did not enjoy an upturn in fortunes and have not won a league match since March, though he did keep them clear of last season's relegation zone with a 12th-place finish.

Former assistant Michael Schjönberg was named interim coach until the club can find a long-term replacement capable of turning around Hanover, who haven't won in their last 11 matches.

The search could take awhile as rumors of other boardroom changes continue to swirl in Hanover. Relegated Kaiserslautern general manager Rene C. Jäggi is reported to be considering a move to Hanover to help in the search for a new coach to help them meet their goal of being among the Bundesliga's top nine teams by the winter break.

Schjönberg, who Neururer ordered off the training grounds in his last practice session as the team's coach, will have a chance to make a case for himself Sept. 15 against Wolfsburg while Neururer is forced to take his severance, somewhere between 800,000 euros ($1,027,000) and 150,000 euros, to the bank.