Gladbach fires Eugen Polanski as coach after starting Bundesliga with 3 defeats

MÖNCHENGLADBACH, Germany — Borussia Mönchengladbach fired coach Eugen Polanski on Sunday after starting the Bundesliga with three defeats.

Gladbach’s 5-0 loss at Freiburg on Saturday was Polanski’s last game in charge, with his assistant coach Tobias Trulsen also told to go.

“Despite a good pre-season and positive signs, the team failed to achieve the desired results in the Bundesliga,” sporting director Rouven Schröder said. “Recent performances led to the decision to relieve Eugen of his duties with immediate effect. Eugen is a true ‘Borusse’ through and through.”

Saturday’s loss followed a 4-3 defeat at home to promoted Elversberg and an opening 3-0 loss at Leipzig. Gladbach’s only win this season was a 5-0 rout of fifth-tier side Schott Mainz in the German Cup.

“It hurts so much that things have turned out this way,” said Polanski, the former Under-23 team coach. “After successfully securing our top-flight status (last season), we made a number of changes for this season. We had big ambitions but failed to put them into practice.”

Polanski took over the team in similar circumstances last season from the fired Gerardo Seoane, whose team had a point after three games. He ultimately led the team to 12th after his interim status was upgraded to permanent in November.

Gladbach said Sunday that Polanski’s assistant Jan-Moritz Lichte was to take over as head coach on an interim basis. Lichte has experience as coach of Bundesliga club Mainz, where Schröder also previously worked.

Polanski is the first head coach to lose his job in the Bundesliga this season.