Football
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Viktor Skripnik sacked by Werder Bremen after poor start to season

Viktor Skripnik has become the first managerial casualty of the Bundesliga season after being sacked following a 4-1 defeat to Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday.

Skripnik has been dismissed together with his assistants Florian Kohfeldt and Torsten Frings, Bremen announced on Sunday.

"We have decided to take this step because the performance in Gladbach lacked any conviction," Bremen's director of sport Frank Baumann said. "We could not see things taking a turn for the better in the near future if the circumstances remained the same.

"We would like to thank Viktor and his assistants for their work in recent years."

Bremen have lost all three of their Bundesliga fixtures this season, after also being eliminated from the DFB-Pokal in the first round to Sportfreunde Lotte.

The club's reserve team coach Alexander Nouri has been placed in charge on a caretaker basis until a new coach can be identified and appointed.

"We hope he will breathe new life into the team," Baumann said of Nouri. "In recent years, he has proven that he can work successfully in difficult situations with the reserve team.

"He has also picked up three wins from four games with the reserves this term and can begin working with the first team with a lot of confidence.

"He's a knowledgeable, ambitious football teacher whom we trust to lead the team successfully through the coming games. He has our total support."

Skripnik saved Bremen from relegation after being appointed late in the 2014-15 season, while he kept them in the top flight again last term and led them to the semifinals of the DFB-Pokal.

Saturday's defeat has left them languishing at the bottom of the standings, however, and facing the prospect of another season of struggle.

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