Soccer-Gladbach reserve team coach named interim successor to Favre

BERLIN, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Borussia Moenchengladbach have appointed reserve team coach Andre Schubert as an interim successor to Lucien Favre who resigned on Sunday after the team began the Bundesliga season with five straight defeats. Gladbach Sports Director Max Eberl told reporters the club had been caught by surprise after the Swiss coach, who led them to a third place finish last season, resigned despite efforts by club officials to change his mind. "Lucien Favre's resignation caught us unprepared and we are now searching for a new head coach," Eberl said. "Until then Andre Schubert will lead the team." The 44-year-old Schubert is a former German national youth team coach and has also worked at Paderborn and St Pauli in lower divisions but has never coached a Bundesliga team before. Favre, who had been in charge since 2011 and lifted the club from the brink of relegation to a third place and a maiden Champions League group stage spot, left a day after their 1-0 loss in the Rhine derby against Cologne. Apart from a terrible domestic start, Gladbach lost their Champions League opener 3-0 to Sevilla. They host Manchester City next week and then also play Juventus in Group D. (Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; editing by Martyn Herman)