Feyenoord announced that they have parted ways with head coach Brian Priske just 48 hours before their Champions League play-off tie with AC Milan.
The Eredivisie side take on Milan home and away in the next seven days, with a place in the knockouts at stake, having finished 19th in the league phase with 13 points from eight matches.
But with the club fifth in the Eredivisie table, they felt there was no choice but to axe Priske as a result of “inconsistent results and a lack of chemistry”.
The club issued a statement confirming the decision: “Feyenoord and head coach Brian Priske have mutually agreed to part ways with immediate effect. The club cites the inconsistent results and a lack of chemistry as the main reasons.
“Alongside head coach Brian Priske, assistant coaches Lukas Babalola Andersson and Bjorn Hamberg will also be leaving Feyenoord immediately. Feyenoord expects to announce an interim trainer and backroom staff tomorrow.”
While the club’s general and technical director Dennis te Kloese could not hide his own disappointment, adding: “It is very disappointing for all parties that we had to come to this decision.
“Although Feyenoord achieved some impressive results with Brian, especially in the UEFA Champions League, the first team’s performance has been far too inconsistent in recent months, and unfortunately, we see too little structural progress.
“As a professional and as a person, I still hold Brian in high esteem. However, sometimes you have to conclude that, despite everyone’s good intentions, things are just not working out, and you have reached a point where there is not enough support to continue forward together.”
Priske, a former Portsmouth player in the 2005/06 season, had only joined Feyenoord in June from Sparta Prague, where he won the Czech First League title two years in a row, ending a nine-year drought.
He was chosen to replace Arne Slot following his move to Liverpool. Feyenoord are languishing 12 points behind league leaders Ajax and out of the KNVB Cup to PSV.
Saturday’s 3-0 win over Sparta Rotterdam ended a winless run that had stretched to five matches. But it was not deemed enough for Priske to keep his job ahead of a crucial two-legged European tie with AC Milan.
They had defeated Bayern Munich 3-0 in the penultimate Champions League league phase match, thanks to a brace from Santiago Gimenez and a late effort from Ayase Uefa.
Gimenez, however, has since moved to AC Milan in the winter transfer window as part of a reported £26.5m deal.
He will return to De Kuip on Wednesday with the opposition and can play in the match, having been added to AC Milan’s Champions League knockout stage squad.
Content Source: www.express.co.uk