By Canadian Press

Hertha Berlin fires coach in bid to stave off relegation

Mar 13, 2022 | 7:10 AM

BERLIN (AP) — Hertha Berlin fired Tayfun Korkut as coach on Sunday in a desperate attempt to stave off a humiliating Bundesliga relegation for the ambitious club.

Hertha said in a statement that assistant coach Ilija Aračić was also leaving the club “with immediate effect” and that a successor to Korkut will be announced “as soon as this matter of personnel has been finally clarified.”

Korkut had been given every chance to turn around Hertha’s fortunes after he replaced club favorite Pál Dárdai last November, but Saturday’s 2-0 loss at Borussia Mönchengladbach was the team’s fifth consecutive defeat and it stretched its winless run in the league to nine games.

It also left the “Old Lady” second last in the division, in a direct relegation spot, with eight rounds remaining.

Hertha hasn’t won a competitive game in 2022 and it was also knocked out of the German Cup by city rival Union Berlin in January.

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Korkut, a former Turkey international, is not solely to blame for Hertha’s problems, which may explain how he remained coach despite the long run of bad results. But Hertha again felt the need for a fresh start if it is to somehow claw its way out of danger.

Korkut’s successor will be the team’s seventh coach since investor Lars Windhorst began backing the club in June 2019. Windhorst has seen no return on his investment of 374 million euros in Hertha and has publicly expressed disappointment while criticizing club leadership for its failures.

Windhorst dreamed of turning Hertha into one of Europe’s best, but instead has seen the club lurch from one crisis, scandal or low point to another. Hertha has fought against relegation in each of the three seasons since Windhorst got involved through his Tennor investments group.

Last week was another tumultuous one at the club, with sporting director Arne Friedrich departing and a power struggle breaking out between Windhorst and the Hertha management.

Tennor spokesman Andreas Fritzenkötter said Wednesday that changes are needed at the club’s next general meeting in May. He also said a documentary about the club was stopped after a “management member described Mr. Windhorst as unsympathetic, and the group made fun of Windhorst.”

The club reacted with a statement saying that the comments not only damaged Hertha but also the Tennor Group.

Meanwhile, the team is floundering, too. Hertha is the worst side in the Bundesliga since the second half of the season began.

Hertha next plays Hoffenheim at home on Saturday. Hoffenheim held Bayern Munich 1-1 on Saturday and is fighting for Champions League qualification. Hertha then visits third-place Bayer Leverkusen, before what is sure to be a highly charged city derby against Union Berlin.

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Ciarán Fahey on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cfaheyAP

Ciarán Fahey, The Associated Press