English Premiership
West Brom coach sacked
2011-02-06 15:10
London - Roberto Di Matteo left his job as West Bromwich Albion manager on Sunday.
The club have been struggling for results recently, a 3-0 defeat to Manchester City on Saturday meaning they have won only one of their last 10 games and leaving them fifth bottom of the Premier League.
"West Bromwich Albion have today relieved Head Coach Roberto Di Matteo of his duties and placed him on gardening leave with immediate effect," a club statement said.
"This was the unanimous decision of the Football Club's Board of Directors in light of a worrying sequence of results which has seen the Club lose 13 of their last 18 games in all competitions, winning only three.
"First-Team Coach Michael Appleton will assume control of first-team affairs whilst the Club considers all available options for a new Head Coach."
The news comes as a major shock for a manager who was regarded at the beginning of the season as one of the brightest young coaches in the English game.
"This has been a tough decision but we, as a Board, believe it is the right one to give the Club the best possible chance of remaining in the Barclays Premier League," said chairman Jeremy Peace.