Hertha end Skibbe's short stint as coach

Hertha BSC Berlin have parted company with coach Michael Skibbe less than two months after his appointment.

Skibbe was awarded a two-and-a-half-year deal as Markus Babbel's successor on 22 December, but a run of five straight defeats prompted the capital club to relive him of his duties. Those results have left Hertha just one spot above the relegation zone.

"We were forced to make this decision after five defeats in a row and the 5-0 loss against Stuttgart [on Saturday]," said Hertha's sporting director Michael Preetz. "We will find a short-term solution, but at the same time we will be looking for a new coach."