SV Wehen Wiesbaden dismisses head coach Daniel Scherning after winless five-match start
The 3. Liga club confirmed the departure of Scherning and assistant Andreas Zimmermann following a 0-1 home loss to Waldhof Mannheim that left the team bottom with two points.
Sacking after five winless matchdays
SV Wehen Wiesbaden parted ways with head coach Daniel Scherning and assistant coach Andreas Zimmermann with immediate effect on Monday. The Hessian club confirmed the personnel decision following an in-depth review of the sporting situation and formal consultation with the supervisory board. A 0-1 home defeat against Waldhof Mannheim over the weekend served as the direct catalyst for the changes. The result left Wehen Wiesbaden bottom of the 3. Liga standings after five matchdays, having collected two points. The team is the sole side across the entire division yet to record a victory this season. The departure represents the first coaching dismissal in the 3. Liga during the current campaign.
Sporting managing director Uwe Stöver stressed that the club had fallen well short of its competitive expectations for the season.
We have reached the conviction that the team needs a new impulse.
Record under Scherning
Scherning was appointed as Wehen Wiesbaden manager in November 2025, taking over the squad when it sat 13th in the 3. Liga table. The 42-year-old stabilized the team quickly, guiding the Hessen outfit to nine victories across his first 14 league fixtures. That positive run allowed the club to move clear of the relegation zone during the middle of the season. Under Scherning's direction, Wehen Wiesbaden also won the regional Hessenpokal, which earned qualification for the first round of the DFB-Pokal. However, sporting management noted that the team's trajectory had already started to decline toward the end of the previous season. Stöver explained that performance levels during the closing phase of that campaign had failed to match the standard set during Scherning's initial months.
- Daniel Scherning takes over as head coach with Wehen Wiesbaden in 13th place
- The team wins nine league matches to escape the relegation zone
- Wehen Wiesbaden wins the Hessenpokal to qualify for the DFB-Pokal first round
- The club dismisses Scherning following a 0-1 loss to Waldhof Mannheim and two points in five games
- Interim coaches Frank Steinmetz and Giuliano Modica lead the team at Fortuna Köln
Reaction and contract terms
Scherning had signed an agreement with Wehen Wiesbaden that ran until 2028 before the club decided on an early termination. The club management expressed gratitude to both Scherning and Zimmermann for their commitment and work with the team. Scherning reflected with pride on the positive period of his tenure, particularly recalling the Hessenpokal title and the initial stabilization. Despite the dismissal, the former head coach accepted the outcome after the poor start to the new league campaign.
Scherning released a statement addressing his departure from the Hessian club.
Naturally we had envisioned the start of this season differently. I respect the club's decision, even though I would have gladly continued working with this team.
Interim management and upcoming fixtures
Assistant coaches Frank Steinmetz and Giuliano Modica have assumed temporary responsibility for the squad until the club signs a permanent successor. Both staff members remain with Wehen Wiesbaden and took over training immediately to prepare for the upcoming away fixture. Club officials did not disclose whether the coaching duo will continue in charge beyond the upcoming match. Wehen Wiesbaden travels to face Fortuna Köln on Wednesday, with kickoff set for 19:00. The away game in Cologne serves as an immediate test for Steinmetz and Modica as the club seeks its first victory of the season to escape the foot of the table.
