Hamburg, Germany (SportsNetwork.com) - Hamburg has sacked a manager for the second time this season after the club relieved Joe Zinnbauer of his duties, with sporting director Peter Knaebel taking his place.
The change comes a few days after Hamburg's 1-0 defeat to Hertha Berlin, which leaves the club in the bottom three in the Bundesliga with eight games to play.
Zinnbauer took over in September for Mirko Slomka, but a winless run of six games in the league that has seen Hamburg earn only two points has cost Zinnbauer his job.
"Joe Zinnbauer has done his job from day one with maximum passion and commitment," said chief executive Dietmar Beiersdorf. "But according to the latest results and considering the overall situation we find ourselves in, we were forced to make a change."
Knaebel's only previous coaching experience was with Swiss second-division side FC Winterthur from 1998-2000, but he will be charged with helping Hamburg avoid relegation once again after the club avoided the drop in a relegation playoff with Greuther Fuerth last term.
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