Union Berlin fires coach Bo Svensson after nine games without a win

BERLIN (AP) — Union Berlin has fired coach Bo Svensson and his assistants after nine games without a win in all competitions.

The Bundesliga club said Friday it will decide on a new coach to take charge of the team from Jan. 2 in the “next days.”

Union was knocked out of the German Cup and hasn’t won a game since beating promoted Holstein Kiel in October. It hasn’t won any of its last eight Bundesliga games under Svensson, who took over in the summer, and the team showed little sign of development during his stay despite an encouraging start.

“We’re convinced that a significant change is necessary to reverse the trend,” Union sporting director Horst Heldt said. “We have therefore decided not to continue our collaboration with Bo Svensson, Babak Keyhanfar, Kristoffer Wichmann and Tijan Njie.”

Svensson's last game in charge was a chastening 4-1 loss at Werder Bremen on Dec. 21.

Union has had little luck with coaching appointments since firing club favorite Urs Fischer last season. Fischer had led the club to Bundesliga promotion for the first time in 2019, followed by ever-improving finishes in the Bundesliga until it qualified for the Champions League in 2023.

That success arguably upset the balance in the team as it prompted Heldt to bring in experienced big names like Leonardo Bonucci and Robin Gosens to prepare it for the additional demands of competing in European soccer’s top club competition. Both have since left Union.

Fischer was fired after a 14-game run without a win. Marco Grote took over on an interim basis, then Croatian coach Nenad Bjelica was appointed for what proved to be an unhappy spell. Bjelica was fired after a loss to relegation rival Bochum left the club a point above the drop zone. Grote returned and ultimately steered the club to safety on the final day.

Svensson, who was appointed almost as soon as last season ended, was supposed to toughen the team and restore the fighting qualities that had made it so successful under Fischer. Ultimately, he failed to do so.

Union next plays at Heidenheim after the winter break on Jan. 11, before hosting Augsburg. Both opponents are behind 12th-place Union in the standings.

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