By Thomas Eßer, dpa I Monday, April 08, 2024
COLOGNE – Thomas Letsch was axed as Bochum coach on Monday after a slide towards the Bundesliga danger zone which culminated in a late defeat at fellow strugglers Cologne on the weekend.
Bochum have earned just one point from their last six games since upsetting champions Bayern Munich 3-2 in mid-February. They are fourth last, three points above the danger zone with six games left.
Bochum squandered a two-goal lead in a 2-2 draw with bottom club Darmstadt a week ago and lost in Cologne on Saturday from a pair of stoppage time goals.
“We haven’t managed to have stability in the long term and make the last few games as successful as they could have been. Relegation is still within our grasp,” Bochum sporting director Marc Lettau said.
“The team has the quality to stay in the Bundesliga, which is why we want to use the change to provide a decisive impetus for successfully staying in the league.”
Letsch was appointed in September 2022 when Bochum were bottom of the table. They stayed in the top flight, and also had a solid first half of the current campaign before managing only two victories since the January restart.
Managing director for sport Patrick Fabian said that while “recognising the achievements” of Letsch “we no longer have the conviction to make it in the previous constellation in our current situation.”
Letsch said he will never forget last season’s euphoria of staying in the Bundesliga, and added: “I wish Bochum all the best for the future – so that they can finish the season in a non-relegation place, as they are currently doing, and continue to play in the Bundesliga.”
Bochum said they would announce a new coach soon, with their next match on Saturday against mid-table Heidenheim.
Among the reported candidates is former Bochum striker Stefan Kuntz, who coached Germany’s under-21 team to European championship titles 2017 and 2021, and was last in charge of Turkey’s national team.
Bochum have reportedly also talked to former Cologne and Borussia Dortmund coach Peter Stöger, who is currently sporting director of second tier Admira Wacker in his native Austria.
