Lokeren sacked coach Paul Put and replaced him with Franky Van der Elst on Monday after only one victory in 10 first division matches this season.

"It was a hard decision to take," Lokeren president Roger Lambrecht told Belgium's Radio 1. "Paul is a good coach and in a way he does not deserve to be sacked but our results were too bad. We had to do something".

The 47-year-old Put had been in charge since 2001 and had a successful campaign last season when he guided the team to third place behind Club Bruges and Anderlecht and a UEFA Cup place.

But they have struggled this term and have earned only six points to stand just one point above the two relegation places occupied by Heusden-Zolder (5) and Charleroi (4).

They were also knocked out of the UEFA Cup 4-2 on aggregate by English premier league Manchester City in the first round.

Van der Elst, 42, had an outstanding career and was capped 86 times for Belgium as well as enjoying success with Club Bruges, where he won the title five times and Belgian Cup twice.

He had been the coach at first division club Germinal Beerschot for the last four seasons but his contract was not renewed in the close season after the club presidency changed.

Van der Elst's first match will be on Saturday at home to Club Bruges, where he shone as a defensive midfielder between 1984 and 1999.

Put is the fourth first division coach to be sacked this season.

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