Stuttgart part with Trapattoni

VfB Stuttgart have sacked coach Giovanni Trapattoni after a disappointing run of form and replaced him with Armin Veh.

Bleak winter
Trapattoni, the former Italy coach, is the ninth manager to be dismissed in Germany's top flight this season. Stuttgart are seventh in the Bundesliga but have not scored a goal since the winter break ended in late January. They lost 1-0 to MSV Duisburg and drew 0-0 with 1. FC Köln and Werder Bremen. Trapattoni's assistant Andreas Brehme, who scored West Germany's winning goal in the 1990 FIFA World Cup final, will also leave the club.

Straight to work
The 45-year-old Veh has a contract until the end of the season, starting with tomorrow's match at DSC Arminia Bielfeld. He had previously worked with second division sides Spielvereinigung Greuther Fürth, SSV Reutlingen and FC Hansa Rostock but had been out of work since leaving FC Augsburg in 2004. The former VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach player will be assisted by Christian Kolodziej and Eberhard Trautner.

'Absolute gentleman'
"Giovanni Trapattoni is an absolute gentleman and one of the most successful trainers in the world," said Stuttgart president Erwin Staudt. "Nevertheless, his work with the team has not been as efficient and successful as we had hoped." Veh will hope to have improved matters before the UEFA Cup Round of 32 tie against Middlesbrough FC on 16 and 23 February.

Short stay
The 66-year-old Trapattoni, who led SL Benfica to the 2004/05 Portuguese league title, took charge at Stuttgart last June after the departure of Matthias Sammer, having previously won the Bundesliga title with FC Bayern München. During a hugely successful coaching career in Italy, he led Juventus to six Serie A championships, along with the 1985 European Champion Clubs' Cup.