'We can't stand around playing rock, paper, scissors!' - Bayer Leverkusen captain slams team-mates for 'playing for themselves' as Erik ten Hag faces early sacking amid rough Bundesliga start

Leverkusen captain Andrich has launched a fierce public criticism of his team-mates, accusing them of "playing for themselves" following a disastrous 3-3 draw away to a 10-man Werder Bremen. The club have been plunged into an early-season crisis after surrendering a two-goal lead in the closing stages of the match.

The result Leverkusen without a victory in the Bundesliga and intensified the pressure on the former Manchester United boss, ultimately costing his job as his sacking was confirmed by the club on Monday. Leverkusen, last season's runners-up and champions the year prior, underwent a significant squad overhaul in the summer and have shown a severe lack of cohesion. The on-field disarray was perfectly captured when several players argued over who should take a penalty kick while leading 2-1. This comes after the team lost their Bundesliga opener to Hoffenheim.

“Everyone played for themselves, everyone ran around the pitch on their own,” complained Andrich after the 3-3 draw. “We have too many players who are preoccupied with other things or only with themselves. I don’t know if I’ve ever experienced that at Bayer.”

He described the collapse against 10 men as more than a slip-up: “The disastrous final phase was a symbol of our current situation. This has nothing to do with any unrest, player transfers, or legal proceedings."

On the penalty incident, he added: “That was also a signal to the opponent. They see: They’re leading 2-1, could make it 3-1, and are discussing a penalty first. These are the little things that build up an opponent. We can’t stand around for two minutes and play rock-paper-scissors to see who’s going to take the penalty. That’s one of many things that aren’t going well for us at the moment.”

Leverkusen will now look for a new coach to reshape the team, having been unimpressed by Ten Hag's work after the loss of many key players. They will hope to have a permanent manager in place by the time the international break ends and ahead of their home match against Eintracht Frankfurt on 12 September.