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Stuttgart sacked 2006-07 title-winning coach Armin Veh after a 4-1 defeat by Wolfsburg left them in 11th place in the Bundesliga.

Markus Babbel, the former Stuttgart and Germany defender, took training on Sunday and will move into the role of team manager, Stuttgart said in a statement.

Former reserve team boss Rainer Widmayer will be the new coach, working alongside Babbel.

"In football there are good times as well as bad," Stuttgart president Erwin Staudt said.

"I've spoken to the players and told them that we need every one of them to play to their potential. This will be a jolt to the team."

Veh took over from Giovanni Trapattoni in early 2006 and guided Stuttgart to a surprise championship in 2007.

A poor start to last season cost them any chance of a successful defence and this term has been a similar story.

Saturday's heavy defeat by Wolfsburg was their fifth successive Bundesliga game without a win and left them 13 points behind leaders Hoffenheim.

Reuters