Hamburg have sacked head coach Joe Zinnbauer after six games without a win in the Bundesliga.

Sitting in the relegation play-off spot in the Bundesliga, Hamburg have relieved head coach Joe Zinnbauer of his duties under the threat of a first ever relegation from the top division.

"Joe has carried out his job with passion and maximum effort from day one, and we have thanked him for that," said club boss Dietmar Beiersdorfer on the club's website.

"Following recents results and the predicament the club is in, we have decided it's time for a change. We are certain that this was the best option given our current situation," Beiersdorfer continued.

Zinnbauer, 44, was promoted to first-team head coach from the second team, after the sacking of Mirko Slomka in September. After 24 games in charge, of which six were wins, the club's Sporting Director Peter Knäbel will take over his duties until the end of the season.

Knäbel becomes the club's 19th manager since 2000, having only become the club's Sporting Director in September last year.

Hamburg have never been relegated from the Bundesliga, but are just a single point ahead of Paderborn in 17th, and a further point ahead of Stuttgart in 18th.

Last season the club survived relegation following a play-off win over Greuther Fürth having finished 16th in the 2013/14 Bundesliga season.