Heraldo de Madrid - Schalke sack head coach Frank Kramer

In addition to Tuesday's Cup exit, Schalke have won just once in 10 games and sit in 17th place following their return to the Bundesliga after winning the second division last season.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the club thanked Kramer "for his professional and dedicated work".

Sporting director Rouven Schroeder said action needed to be taken when it became clear Schalke's position in the top division was under threat.

"After promotion, we all committed to one goal - staying up in the Bundesliga. Right up until the end, we were convinced we could turn the tide in the current situation."

Board member Peter Knaebel said the club's recent away performances "were not worthy of FC Schalke".

"We have to improve significantly in all areas in order to be able to achieve our main goal - staying up in the league."

Traditionally one of the Bundesliga's heavyweights, Schalke have been no strangers to coaching changes in recent seasons.

Since Domenico Tedesco, who had taken Schalke to the Champions League, was sacked in March 2019, the five-time German Cup winners have had eight different coaches in charge.

Kramer was appointed in summer, taking over from interim coach Mike Bueskens, who won eight of his nine games in charge to secure promotion after just one year in the second tier.

Kramer was previously in charge of Arminia Bielefeld, but was sacked when they were relegated from the Bundesliga last season.

Kramer is the third Bundesliga coach to be sacked this season, after Bochum's Thomas Reis and Stuttgart's Pellegrino Matarazzo.

Schalke play away at 15th-placed Hertha Berlin on Sunday.

B.Roman--HdM