SG Barockstadt Fulda-Lehnerz have parted ways with head coach Daniyel Cimen following a poor start to their regional league season, the German football club announced on Monday.
The East Hessian team sit second from bottom in the table after collecting just five points from their opening eight matches of the campaign.
The decision came after a heavy 5-1 defeat away against VfR Mannheim on Saturday, which convinced the club management that immediate action was required to halt the team's downward spiral.
Christian Geisendörfer, the sports director at SG Barockstadt, addressed the decision in an official statement following the match. He explained that after the latest defeat in Mannheim, the club felt compelled to set a new impulse for the team.
Geisendörfer emphasized that ending the partnership was not an easy choice for the board. He noted that the club held Cimen in high regard as a manager and valued him greatly both for his professional expertise and on a personal level.
Hessenpokal final and two-year spell
Cimen, a former professional player, took charge of SG Barockstadt two years ago. During his period in charge, he achieved a historic milestone by guiding the East Hessian club into the final of the Hessenpokal for the first time in the team's history.
Following the announcement of his departure, Cimen expressed confidence in the team's ability to recover. He stated that he hoped and firmly believed the squad would turn things around and collect the necessary points over the remainder of the season, adding that he wished the players every success from the bottom of his heart.
Interim management and future plans
Assistant coach Yasin Kocatepe will take charge of first-team duties on an interim basis while the club searches for a permanent replacement. Kocatepe had previously served alongside Cimen on the coaching staff, assisting with daily training and match preparations.
SG Barockstadt Fulda-Lehnerz, based in the city of Fulda in central Germany, play in the fourth-tier Regionalliga. The regional league represents the highest level of regional football in Germany, while the Hessenpokal offers local teams a route into the annual nationwide DFB-Pokal tournament.
The club confirmed that it has not yet decided who will be appointed as the new permanent head coach for the rest of the season.
