Cluj split with coach Andone
Reuters - Wednesday 24 October 2012, 14:40
CFR Cluj coach Ioan Andone has left the club by mutual consent despite a
decent start to their Champions League campaign because of
disappointing domestic results, the Romanian champions said on
Wednesday.
"CFR Cluj's club management and Ioan Andone have reached an agreement to end relations," the club said in a statement.
"We
are proud of everything we've accomplished together. Andone has and
will always have a special place in the hearts of our supporters."
According
to media reports, former Napoli and Lazio coach Edoardo Reja is on a
shortlist to replace Andone, who could rejoin Rapid - the club he
coached in 2010.
"We'll
announce the name of the new coach tomorrow," CFR Cluj's owner Arpad
Paszkany told local media. "It's 99 percent certain that it will be a
foreigner."
The Railwaymen,
playing for more than an hour with 10 men, drew 1-1 at Galatasaray in a
lively Champions League Group H match on Tuesday to stay second behind
Manchester United having won one, drawn one and lost one of their
opening three matches.
United have nine points, Cluj have four, followed by Braga (3) and Galatasaray (1).
However,
local media and fans criticised Andone for CFR's domestic performances.
They are 10th in the Romanian top flight with 16 points from 12
matches, 13 points behind leaders Steaua Bucharest and only six points
above the relegation zone.
Much-travelled
Andone, who led Cluj to a domestic double in 2008, began his second
spell as coach in April after replacing Portuguese Jorge Costa and
guided the team to their third league title.
Former
international defender Andone previously coached another eight Romanian
clubs, including Bucharest rivals Dinamo and Rapid, as well as being at
the helm of teams in Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and
Bulgaria.