Out with Oenning

Hamburg's latest loss - 1-0 at home against Mönchengladbach - proved to be the straw that broke the camel's back for coach Michael Oenning.

On Monday, the team announced that it would be parting ways with Oenning with immediate effect. The coach of the club's second team, Rodolfo Cardoso, will take over on an interim basis and will assume a place on the bench for Friday's match against Stuttgart.

"In the last two days after the 1-0 loss against Mönchengladbach, we've held close talks and have decided that we had to make this call," said Sporting Director Frank Arnesen on the club's website. "Starting today, we'll begin searching for Michael Oenning's full-time replacement. For the time being, Rodolfo has our complete support."

Historically awful

Hamburg have gained just a single point in six Bundesliga games so far this season. That point was a somewhat fortunate one won in a draw against Hertha Berlin on the second match day of the season. The club's start, in last place and with just one point after six matches, is its worst ever.

Oenning, who took over at Hamburg in March after spending the better part of last season as an assistant, has been under fire for some time and his dismissal does not come as much of a surprise.

"It's understandable that in this situation, the team has decided to go in another direction," Oenning said in Hamburg's online statement.

Oenning wasn't the only German coach to be handed his marching orders on Monday: Lothar Matthäus was let go as Bulgaria's national coach after the team failed to qualify for the 2012 European Championship. Matthäus was captain of the 1990 Germany squad that won the World Cup.

Author: Matt Zuvela
Editor: Rob Turner