Struggling Zaragoza sack coach Aguirre
Reuters - Friday 30 December 2011, 15:25
Real Zaragoza have sacked
coach Javier Aguirre following a poor run which left them bottom
of La Liga and local media reported they were poised to sign
former Getafe boss Michel to replace him.
Cash-strapped Zaragoza, who followed several other
top-flight sides into voluntary administration in June, also
presented four new members of their board of directors on Friday
as they seek to get their finances back under control.
"Real Zaragoza have agreed with Javier Aguirre to cancel his
contract as first team coach," the club said in a statement on
their website.
"The situation the Aragonese team is in required an urgent
change of course, which is why this agreement was reached," the
statement added.
Sports daily Marca reported that Zaragoza president Agapito
Iglesias will travel to the Spanish capital later on Friday to
meet Michel's agent and try to close a deal with the former Real
Madrid and Spain player.
Michel's spell at Getafe ended when they decided not to
extend his contract beyond the end of last season.
He took over from Victor Munoz in April 2009 and led the
club to sixth and a Europa League berth the following year.
However, they only narrowly avoided relegation on the final
day of the 2010/11 campaign, finishing in 16th.
If appointed at Zaragoza, he will attempt to help the club
avoid a drop to the second division that would severely dent
income from television rights.
Former Mexico boss Aguirre, who has also coached La Liga
sides Atletico Madrid and Osasuna, was appointed in November
2010 to replace the sacked Jose Aurelio Gay and the 53-year-old
helped Zaragoza avoid relegation last term.
With 16 of 38 matches played this season, they have just 10
points and are four behind 19th-placed Racing Santander.
"The players will get through this," Aguirre was quoted as
saying in local media on Friday.
"I would have liked to stay to the end but I understand that
these things happen in football."
In a separate statement, Zaragoza said the new board would
seek to "professionalise and modernise" the club and introduce
more transparency following criticism of Iglesias and his fellow
directors.
Zaragoza have won Spain's King's Cup six times, the last
coming in 2004, and beat Arsenal to win the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1995.