Dortmund dismiss coach van Marwijk

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BERLIN, Germany -- Borussia Dortmund have parted company with coach Bert van Marwijk, half a season ahead of his scheduled departure from the Bundesliga club.

"Dortmund and Bert van Marwijk have terminated with immediate effect their relationship," the German club said on their Web site.

Dortmund had announced earlier this month that the 54-year-old Dutchman would be leaving at the end of the campaign by mutual agreement.

They brought forward the change after a 2-1 defeat by Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday left the side in ninth place with 22 points at the halfway stage of the season.

Dortmund's first choice as a replacement, Ottmar Hitzfeld, will not be joining the club.

He said earlier on Monday that he had turned down an approach to return to the club he turned into the champions of Europe a decade ago.

Hitzfeld, who coached Dortmund to victory in the 1997 Champions League as well as bringing them two Bundesliga titles, told Germany's pay-TV network Premiere that he could not take the offer from managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke.

"I've received a very interesting offer from Borussia Dortmund to take over the post as head trainer at my former club," Hitzfeld said.

"After careful consideration, I told Mr. Watzke today that I want to remain a television analyst and am not available to coach Borussia Dortmund."

Dortmund have won only two of nine home matches this season and their disappointed fans mocked the team as they went down to defeat on Sunday -- cheering Leverkusen when they went 2-0 ahead late in the match.

Van Marwijk joined Dortmund from Feyenoord in June 2004, replacing Matthias Sammer. He guided them to seventh place in each of his first two seasons, without the team ever threatening to challenge for the title.

The Bundesliga resumes after the long winter break on January 26 when Dortmund host Bayern Munich.

Hitzfeld, who also coached Bayern Munich to the Champions League title in 2001 and led them to four Bundesliga titles said on Sunday he was not interested in coaching Hamburg, also struggling this season.

"It's not an issue for me," Hitzfeld, 57, told Arena Television, adding that it would have to be "a rather extraordinary offer" to lure him back to the Bundesliga.

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