Wolfsburg coach Paul Simonis was sacked on Sunday after his side lost a sixth Bundesliga game in seven

The mid-table side had been heading for victory at Werder Bremen on Friday but the hosts scored two late goals to prevail 2-1.

It condemned the Wolves to their joint-worst start to a top-flight season with six defeats in 10 matches.

Managing director for sport Peter Christiansen said in a statement: “The decision to relieve Paul Simonis of his duties was not an easy one for us. Paul is a meticulous coach who worked with great passion, expertise and heart and soul.

“We valued his work, his ideas and the way he dealt with the team — that is precisely why this step pains me personally. Nevertheless, we must be honest: in football, results and points count in the end, and the development in recent weeks has not gone the way we all had hoped.”

Unheralded Dutchman Simonis was a surprise choice to take over in the close season after winning the Dutch Cup with Go Ahead Eagles.

Former SV Hamburg and Hull City coach Tim Walter and ex-Union Berlin boss Urs Fischer are candidates to replace Simonis, media reports say.

Under-19 coach Daniel Bauer takes temporary charge with an international break now buying the board some time.