Bayer Leverkusen fires coach Herrlich, appoints Bosz as replacement

Bayern Leverkusen has fired German coach Heiko Herrlich over the team's poor results and appointed Dutchman Peter Bosz to replace the former with a contract linking him to the Bundesliga side until 2020, the German club announced on Sunday.

Although Herrlich wrapped up the 2017-18 season in the fifth spot, which allowed Leverkusen to play in the Europa League this campaign, the German squad currently holds the ninth spot in the Bundesliga table halfway through the competition, with a balance of seven wins, as many defeats and three draws, reports Efe news.

"Unfortunately, there has been an undeniable stagnation in the development of the team. Even though we are within reach of the European positions at the end of the year we find ourselves in a situation after a less-than-satisfactory first half of the season that makes a change of coach essential from our point of view," sporting managing director Rudi Voller said in a statement on the club's website.

Bosz, who led Ajax to the 2016-17 Europa League final, is set to take the helm on January 4, 2019, two weeks ahead of Leverkusen's first 2019 match against Borussia Monchengladbach.

--IANS

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