BERLIN, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Werder Bremen has dismissed head coach Horst Steffen following a late 1-1 home draw against Borussia Monchengladbach, the Bundesliga club announced on Sunday.
The 56-year-old was recruited last summer from second-tier side Elversberg, but his first Bundesliga assignment has ended after just 20 league games in charge.
The decision came a day after Werder extended its winless league run to ten matches against Gladbach. The result leaves Bremen 15th in the Bundesliga standings on 19 points after 20 matches, level on points with Wolfsburg and just one point clear of Mainz in the relegation play-off place.
"It was a difficult decision, but we no longer have the conviction that Horst can achieve the turnaround after this long series without a win together with the team," managing director for sport Clemens Fritz said in a club statement.
"The conclusion weighs heavily, especially because we value him highly, but it is the result of our analysis of the sporting situation and the discussions we have held," he added.
Assistant coaches Raphael Duarte and Christian Gross have been placed in interim charge as Bremen begins its search for a permanent replacement. Fritz said the club would take the necessary time to find the right solution for Werder.
Steffen arrived at the Weserstadion as a highly regarded appointment after leading Elversberg from the regional leagues to the second division and narrowly missing promotion to the top flight in the relegation play-off.
However, the current campaign never gained momentum, starting with an early German Cup exit and followed by inconsistent league displays that left Bremen with four wins, seven draws and nine defeats.
The decision marks the seventh coaching change in the Bundesliga this season, with Duarte and Gross taking over on an interim basis. ■
