Bobic sacked

VfB Stuttgart icon and former player Fredi Bobic has been sacked from his role on the club's board, just hours before the team plays Borussia Dortmund in a crucial Bundesliga encounter.

Bobic had been under pressure for weeks after the club's poor start in the Bundesliga season, which saw them pick up just one point in four rounds.

The Maribor-born, former German international took on the role of overseeing the sporting direction at the club in 2010, after previously playing nearly 150 games for Stuttgart. In 2012 he had extended his contract until 2016.

Joachim Schmidt, the chairman of the club's supervisory board said on Wednesday that the reason for sacking Bobic was because "in the current situtation we don't see any possibility of making a positive, sustainable improvement."

"The fact is: after four years it has not been possible to put a team together that achieves a position in the league that matches our budget," he added.

In his statement on the club's website, Schmidt also thanked Bobic and admitted that the 42-year-old "had put up with some opposing forces" during his tenure. Just last week Bobic had been subject to campaigns by some of the club's fans to oust him.

Bobic is the second big name to depart the Bundesliga so far this season. Hamburg's coach Mirko Slomka was dropped by his club last week.

In the second division, Ricardo Moniz was also given his marching orders from 1860 Munich on Wednesday, following the club's recent poor performances.