Soccer-Dutchman Stevens to take over Stuttgart on Monday - club

BERLIN, March 9 (Reuters) - VfB Stuttgart on Sunday sacked coach Thomas Schneider replacing him with Dutchman Huub Stevens as they battle to avoid relegation, the club said. "Huub Stevens will become the new head coach of VfB Stuttgart," they said in a statement, a day after a 2-2 draw against fellow relegation candidates Eintracht Braunschweig. "The 60-year-old will lead his first training on Monday and will coach the team in his first game on Saturday at Werder Bremen." Schneider had taken over in August but after a good first half to the campaign he saw his team lose eight straight games before the draw on Saturday. Stevens was sacked by Greek club PAOK earlier this week and has coached Schalke 04 twice as well as Hamburg SV among other clubs in the Bundesliga. Stuttgart are 15th on 20 points, three above Braunschweig. (Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Rex Gowar)