Bundesliga strugglers Darmstadt have dismissed head coach Norbert Meier and director of sport Holger Fach, less than 24 hours after a 2-0 defeat to Hamburg left them in the Bundesliga relegation playoff berth.
The Lilies have slumped into the bottom three after losing five successive games, leading the club to decide a change of management was necessary.
"After yesterday's game and its subsequent analysis, we reached the conclusion that we need new energy in order to counteract this negative trend,'' said club president Rudiger Fritsch on the Darmstadt website.
Der #sv98 hat Cheftrainer Norbert Meier und den sportlichen Leiter Holger Fach freigestellt. pic.twitter.com/S0OWRXKwcH
- SV Darmstadt 98 (@sv98) December 5, 2016
"That is why we have decided to take this step. We would like to thank Norbert Meier and Holger Fach for the work they have done.''
Ramon Berndroth, who is director of the club's youth academy, has been appointed on a caretaker basis until a new permanent coach can be found.
That could well be former Hamburg coach Bruno Labbadia, who was relieved of his duties earlier this season and whose ex-club registered their first win of the season by beating Darmstadt on Sunday.
Berndroth will prepare the team for a trip to Freiburg on Saturday.