HSG Wetzlar have parted company with managing director of sport Michael Allendorf after falling to the bottom of the Handball-Bundesliga table.
The German top-flight club announced on Monday evening that their supervisory board had decided to release Allendorf from his duties with immediate effect.
In an official press release, the club stated that the background to the decision was the team's unsatisfactory sporting development to date, alongside differing views regarding the future sporting direction of the organisation.
Wetzlar currently sit in last place in the Handball-Bundesliga standings. The Central Hesse side have endured a difficult start to the campaign, leaving them anchored at the foot of the table after eleven rounds of fixtures.
Allendorf had taken over as managing director of sport in February, stepping into the post following a weak previous season. Ahead of the new campaign, his clear priority had been to prevent a slide into instability, but results on the court failed to turn around.
Derby defeat against MT Melsungen
The supervisory board acted one day after Wetzlar missed the opportunity for a crucial breakthrough victory on Sunday, falling to a narrow 24-25 defeat against regional rivals MT Melsungen in the Hesse derby.
That narrow loss further magnified the unrest around the club, producing the exact atmosphere of turmoil that Allendorf had been determined to prevent. Following the derby setback, the club leadership concluded that a change was unavoidable.
According to the club, the supervisory board resolved to relieve Allendorf of his duties with the goal of opening up the opportunity to set fresh sporting impulses and improving conditions to achieve their primary target of avoiding relegation.
The Handball-Bundesliga is the top professional tier in Germany and ranks among the most demanding domestic handball competitions in the world. HSG Wetzlar, based in Central Hesse, have long competed in the elite division, while matches against fellow Hesse club MT Melsungen represent the region's main local rivalry.
Battle for Bundesliga survival
Wetzlar did not announce who will take over Allendorf's responsibilities at the club, offering no details on an interim arrangement or a permanent successor.
The club stated that their full concentration is now dedicated to the upcoming sporting tasks and the fight to preserve their top-flight status, stressing that staying in the division remains their paramount goal.
Wetzlar still have time to reverse their fortunes and escape the relegation places, as only eleven matchdays have been played so far in the Handball-Bundesliga season.
