Hansa and Veh call it a day

Relegation form
That run of form has left Hansa a point off the bottom of the Bundesliga, and Juri Schlunz will take temporary charge of team affairs while the club seek a replacement for the 42-year-old Veh. Schlunz has been caretaker coach twice before but both times rejected the role on a full-time basis.

Surprise decision
Veh had two years left on his contract at the Ostseestadion, and his decision to leave surprised Hansa chairman Manfred Wimmer. "From our point of view, there was no reason to question Armin Veh and his work. We accept his decision, but we would have gladly continued to work together. We are surprised," Wimmer said.

Second casualty
Veh becomes the second coaching casualty of the Bundesliga campaign after Ewald Lienen who was dismissed by VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach last month.

Kovar blow
Other bad news for Hansa is that Czech defender Michal Kovar damaged ankle ligaments in the defeat at Leverkusen. The 29-year-old suffered the injury to his right ankle in a challenge with Marko Babic and will be sidelined for four to six weeks.