Schuster quits as Beşiktaş coach

Bernd Schuster has resigned as Beşiktaş JK coach with the Istanbul club seventh in the Turkish Super League.

The 51-year-old German decided to step down following the 0-0 draw at Manisaspor on Friday, a result which followed their 8-1 aggregate elimination from the UEFA Europa League by FC Dynamo Kyiv last month. Schuster's assistant Tayfur Havutçu has been named caretaker coach until the end of the season.

Former Real Madrid CF boss Schuster had replaced Mustafa Denizli last summer, when hopes were high following the arrival of Ricardo Quaresma and Guti. However, by the winter break Beşiktaş were fifth in the Süper Lig – 14 points adrift of Trabzonspor AŞ – though still in the UEFA Europa League and through to a Turkish Cup semi-final against Gaziantepspor in April.

Beşiktaş resumed the campaign with the motto "17 wins in 17 matches" after the January signing of Portuguese internationals Simão, Hugo Almeida and Manuel Fernandes. Yet they have since been beaten four times in eight games, registering only two victories and exiting Europe in disappointing style in the round of 32. The gap between them and joint Super League leaders Fenerbahçe SK and Trabzonspor now stands at 21 points.