Stanislawski axed by Hoffenheim

Hoffenheim have sacked coach Holger Stanislawski after eight months in charge, the club have confirmed.

The 42-year-old’s job has been under scrutiny following a run of only one win in 10 league matches, and it was understood that not even victory in the DFB Pokal quarter-final against Greuther Furth on Wednesday would save him.

A 1-0 defeat to the second-tier club promptly decided his fate, along with those of assistants Andre Trulsen and Klaus-Peter Nemet, both of whom follow Stanislawski out of the door at the Rhein-Necker-Stadium.

Stanislawski took over at Hoffenheim on July 1 as a replacement for Marco Pezzaiuoli, but despite an encouraging start to his tenure, the club have since struggled, and now face a potential fight against relegation.

Stanislawski has also faced the wrath of his own team, with goalkeeper Tom Starke claiming they have become a laughing stock after crashing out to lower-league opposition in the cup.

‘”There is a lot of unrest in the club,” Starke said after the match.

“The whole club is shaking and it is down to internal problems that we created ourselves. The whole of Germany is laughing at us.”

Meanwhile, a report in Thursday’s Bild has claimed former Hertha Berlin coach Markus Babbel is the favourite to be installed as Stanislawski’s successor.

Hoffenheim are in eighth position in the Bundesliga, just six points clear of the relegation zone.