BAYER Leverkusen has hired former Turkey international Tayfun Korkut as coach to rescue something from the club’s worst Bundesliga season in 14 years.

    Leverkusen said the 42-year-old Korkut, previously coach of Hannover and then second-division club Kaiserslautern, has signed a deal until the end of the season, along with assistant coach Xaver Zembrod.

    Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Voeller said: “we’re optimistic that we’ll get back on track with him.”

    Leverkusen fired Roger Schmidt on Sunday after five losses in seven games in all competitions.

    Saturday’s 6-2 loss at Borussia Dortmund followed a 4-2 loss to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League and a subsequent home loss to Mainz.

    Leverkusen is out of the German Cup and 10th in the Bundesliga.

    (SD-Agencies)