VfL Wolfsburg axe coach Paul Simonis after disastrous Bundesliga run

The decision was confirmed on Sunday evening, following an internal review by the club's board. Simonis, who took charge in the summer from Dutch side Go Ahead Eagles, managed just 8 points from 10 league games.

His assistants Peter van der Veen, Tristan Berghuis and Martin Darneviel have also departed, with Under-19 coach Daniel Bauer stepping in as interim manager until a permanent replacement is found.

Rumours of Simonis' dismissal had gathered pace earlier in the day after Friday's 2-1 away defeat to Werder Bremen, which drew heavy criticism from supporters after Wolfsburg surrendered a late lead.

Wolfsburg's attack has been among the league's least effective this season with just 12 goals scored, while their defensive record has continued to deteriorate, conceding 18.

Club managing director for sport Peter Christiansen confirmed the decision, admitting that the team's results left the board with little choice.

"In football it is all about results and points at the end of the day, and the development in the past few weeks did not go as we had wished," Christiansen said.

"After intensive discussions with the supervisory board, we have come to the conclusion that a change is now needed to bring stability and success back to the pitch. We all bear responsibility for the current situation, the sporting management, the coaching staff, the players, and the entire club."

Wolfsburg will use the international break to restructure their coaching department ahead of their next Bundesliga fixture against Bayer Leverkusen on November 22.

The dismissal marks another chapter of instability for the club, who have now changed head coaches five times since Oliver Glasner's departure at the end of the 2020/21 season as they continue to search for consistency and a return to European contention.