Shakhtar sack coach Schuster
Wednesday, May 5, 2004
Article summary
FC Shakhtar Donetsk have dismissed coach Bernd Schuster after letting a promising league position slip.
Article body
Sunday slip-up
Early season leaders Shakhtar's 2-0 defeat at FC Chornomorets Odesa on Sunday left them second in the table, nine points behind FC Dynamo Kyiv and just one above FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk with seven matches remaining.
Advantage lost
"Shakhtar's display in the second half of the season raises question marks - the team lost some important games and lost the advantage achieved in the first half of the championship," said Shakhtar president Rinat Akhmetov.
Caretaker coach
Former German international Schuster, 44, was at the club for just over a year after replacing Nevio Scala. Shakhtar's ex-coach and sports director Viktor Prokopenko will take charge for Sunday's home game against FC Zirka Kirovograd. A new coach will be unveiled on 18 May, according to Akhmetov.
