Bundesliga relegated Arminia Bielefeld starts the second division year with four defeats in a row. Too much for East Westphalia, who fired the coach Uli Forte, who was only introduced in the summer. It’s the first layoff of the season. Many more are likely to follow.
After only four match days, coach Uli Forte has already failed at Arminia Bielefeld, who have been relegated to the Bundesliga. The 48-year-old Italian was dismissed as the first coach of the season four days after the 2-0 loss to Hamburger SV and the fourth defeat at Ostwestfalen. “We need a turnaround and that’s why we have to act according to our opinion. Taking all impressions and discussions into account, we weren’t convinced that we could be successful in the existing constellation,” said Arminen sports director Samir Arabi.
The day before, Forte had led Arminia’s training. However, the club may have already made the decision that it wants to present a successor shortly. Bielefeld has to play at 1. FC Heidenheim on Sunday. “We have overall responsibility for DSC Arminia. We thank Uli Forte for his commitment to Arminia Bielefeld,” Arabi continued. Already on Sunday he had no longer wanted to give a job guarantee for the next game.
“Of course I’m disappointed because I believed in being successful with Arminia,” said Forte. “I would have believed that I could turn things around together with everyone and find my way after the start of the season. The release hurts, but as a long-time head coach I have to deal with it professionally.”
Forte, who was in charge of a German club for the first time, had a difficult time from the start. In the first competitive game he saw a red card that was later described as “by mistake” and lost with his team at SV Sandhausen. Under their new coach, Bielefeld only had to counter three further defeats in the league against Jahn Regensburg, Hansa Rostock and HSV with a 7:1 in the DFB Cup at Oberliga club SV Engers 07.
