BERLIN, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Arminia Bielefeld parted ways with head coach Frank Kramer after 13 months, the Bundesliga club announced in an official statement on Wednesday.
After seven winless games in a row, including Sunday's 3-0 defeat to front runners Bayern Munich, Arminia dropped to second-bottom in the standings with just four rounds to spare.
The club, therefore, decided to release Kramer with immediate effect in order to increase the chances of staying in Germany's top flight.
Assistant coach Ilia Gruev departs also whereas goalkeeping coach Marco Kostemann replaces Kramer for the remainder of the campaign.
"We want to give the team an impetus to stay in the Bundesliga. This is the goal of all of us. It is now necessary to look ahead and not back. Everyone involved is required. The time for excuses on and off the pitch is over now," said Bielefeld's sporting director Samir Arabi.
It will be a tough challenge for interim head coach Kostemann as Stuttgart, who occupies the relegation play-off spot, sit two points away. Hence, Arminia need points in their last four games against Cologne, struggling Hertha Berlin, Bochum and third-placed Leipzig to maintain its chances of staying up. ■
