Union Berlin parted ways with head coach Bo Svensson shortly before the start of the new year. The Bundesliga club announced this on Friday.
Union Berlin have now gone eight Bundesliga games without a win, and with 17 points, the Irons have slipped to 12th place in the table. This has consequences for head coach Bo Svensson, who was released by the club on Friday.
“After a thorough analysis of the season so far, we are convinced that a significant change is necessary to reverse the trend,” said managing director of professional football Horst Heldt in a statement. In addition to Svensson, his entire coaching team must also leave the club.
Downward trend in the league – out of the DFB Cup
Svensson had only taken up his position as head coach of Union in the summer, after the Irons had narrowly escaped relegation to the second division in the previous season. Under Svensson, Union got off to a strong start to the season, celebrating four wins from their first seven games and at that point were in a position to qualify for the European cups.
However, a downward trend then set in that Svensson was unable to stop before the winter break. In the following eight league games, his team only managed three draws and five defeats – and in the DFB Cup, Union was knocked out in the second round by third division side Arminia Bielefeld (0:2).
External successor to be presented soon
After the 4-1 defeat in Bremen on the last matchday before the winter break, Heldt avoided making a commitment to Svensson. “We have to let it sink in first. I can’t tell you anything about it so soon after the game,” Heldt explained. “He enjoys a great deal of trust overall, but I believe that we have to evaluate the games differently.” In January, Union had to turn the page, the managing director had demanded – but that should now happen without Svensson.
A successor has not yet been determined. According to the club, this decision should be made in the coming days.
On January 2, the team will start preparing for the Bundesliga restart, before the season continues with an away game at 1. FC Heidenheim on January 11. Union will then host FC Augsburg at the end of the first half of the season – two extremely important games against two teams from the lower third of the table, who are still ranked below Union.
