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LEVERKUSEN, Germany -- Bayer Leverkusen fired Sami Hyypia as coach Saturday after an alarming mid-season slump and turned to the Finns former coaching partner Sascha Lewandowski to secure Champions League qualification. The Bundesliga club said in a statement that the former Liverpool defender Hyypia was being released "with immediate effect" following Fridays 2-1 loss at relegation-threatened Hamburger SV. Lewandowski stepped back to resume coaching Leverkusens youth side after securing Champions League qualification with Hyypia last season. He has been charged with securing at least fourth place in the Bundesliga to repeat the feat this time around. "He helped us out in a critical situation once before when he worked alongside Sami Hyypia following the release of Robin Dutt," Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Voeller said. "Were firmly convinced he will succeed again." Leverkusen previously drew with bottom side Eintracht Braunschweig and is in danger of losing fourth place, with both Wolfsburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach in a position to overtake on Saturday. "This decision was more than difficult because Sami did a brilliant job over the last two years," Voeller said. Leverkusen was second at one point in the Bundesliga but had a severe change in fortune after the winter break with only three wins from 12 league games this year. It has also endured humiliating losses to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League and second-division Kaiserslautern in the German Cup. "What he and his coaching staff achieved with the team in the first half of the season was well beyond expectations and earned him praise from all sides," Voeller said. "Thats why the current slump is even more painful for us. The dramatic events of the last few weeks leave us no other choice but to bring about a separation. We want to and have to try everything to save the season." Assistant coach Jan-Moritz Lichte was also released. "Its not an easy situation for me now to take Samis place," Lewandowski said. "We had responsibility for this team together for more than a year. So you cant take over without regret that the former partner couldnt realize his dreams." Kicker magazine said that Thomas Schaaf (former Werder Bremen coach), Markus Weinzierl (Augsburg), Armin Veh (Eintracht Frankfurt) and Jos Luhukay (Hertha Berlin) are all possible candidates to take over from next season. Hyypia is the seventh coach to lose his job in the Bundesliga this season, following the dismissals of Bruno Labbadia and his successor Thomas Schneider at Stuttgart, Thorsten Fink and his successor Bert van Marwijk at Hamburger SV, Michael Wiesinger at Nuremberg and Mirko Slomka at Hannover. Dale Hawerchuk Jersey . The two were in the batting cage moments before game time. Bautista was taking final warm up cuts. Pillar was hitting soft toss. 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This fight card, which takes place in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, has had a number of changes, including headliner Lyoto Machida replaced by fellow Brazilian Rafael Natal.JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Jacksonville Jaguars coach Gus Bradley has left the team following his fathers death. Bradley flew home to Zumbrota, Minn., on Monday to be with his family, turning interim coaching duties over to secondary coach DeWayne Walker. Bradleys father, Roy James Bradley, died Sunday night following a lengthy illness. He was 85. The youngest of the six kids, Bradley is expected to rejoin the team in London, possibly as early as Wednesday. "Many of guys know coach Bradley and have been around him enough to know that hes a very tough-minded man, has a lot of intestinal fortitude and he really struggled with this decision: whether to lead this team or to lead his family," general manager Dave Caldwell said. "And we made it for him this morning to go home and be with his family and his mom, Gloria, to take care of what he needed there. "We have enough confidence in our coaching staff here and our team here that were going to take care of our business, and coach Bradley will rejoin the team as soon as he can. We fully support him and his family with that." The Jaguars (0-7) are flying to London later Monday and spending the week there before playing defending NFC champion San Francisco. Walker has 25 years of coaching experience, including the last four as head coach at New Mexico State. "He could have closed his eyes and just picked any coacch," Walker said.dddddddddddd "I think all the coaches are capable of doing what he asked me to do. I just want to make sure I dont embarrass him." Jacksonville has lost every game this season by double digits, getting outscored 222-76. San Diego, dealing with a short week and a cross-country flight, dominated every aspect of Sundays 24-6 win over the Jaguars. Bradley was Seattles defensive co-ordinator the previous four years. Caldwell and owner Shad Khan picked Bradley to lead the franchises latest rebuilding project, which clearly wont be an easy fix. Walker declined to address injuries, the teams quarterback situation or any other team issues. Its unclear whether Blaine Gabbert (hamstring) or Chad Henne will start Sunday against the 49ers. "Im going to sit in the chair for maybe a day and a half, so for me to have this big plan to try to rejuvenate our football team, I dont think thats my place," Walker said. Walker addressed the team Monday, giving them the news about Bradleys father. "Coach Bradley has been good to all of us, and any time a situation like this pops up when youre a family, youre going to feel bad and youre going to have some sensitive feelings," Walker said. "I think our team is a tight-knit family, and Im sure guys are hurting." Roy James Bradley is survived by his wife, Gloria, and six children. ' ' '