BREMEN, Germany -- Werder Bremen sacked coach Robin Dutt on Saturday with the side bottom of the Bundesliga after failing to win any of their opening nine games of the season.
Viktor Skripnik, formerly the under-23 coach, was promoted in Dutt's place. The 44-year-old former Ukraine international, who played 138 Bundesliga games for Bremen, will be assisted by Florian Kohfeldt, Torsten Frings and Christian Vander. They take charge in time for Tuesday's cup tie at third-division Chemnitzer FC.
"We were already close by in the last months and know every single player. I'm certain we'll manage this task," said Skripnik, who began coaching Bremen's youth sides after winning the double in 2004.
Bremen general manager Thomas Eichin said that Dutt "led the side with great passion through a difficult phase over the last months. After the latest results, however, we came to the conclusion the team needs a fresh impulse to get out of the current situation."
Dutt's last game was a 1-0 defeat at home to Cologne on Friday. He is the third coach to be sacked in the Bundesliga this season after Mirko Slomka at Hamburg and Jens Keller at Schalke.
The former German Football Federation sporting director took over in 2013 from Thomas Schaaf but was unable to lead the four-time German champion back to success.
In 45 Bundesliga games, Dutt managed an average of just one point per game, equaling Dutchman Aad de Mos' record as Bremen's worst coach in top-flight football.