Shanghai (AFP) – Former Wales manager Chris Coleman was sacked as coach of struggling Hebei China Fortune on Wednesday after the club’s fans demanded his firing.
The 48-year-old’s side have won only once in nine Chinese Super League (CSL) games this season and languish one place off the bottom of the table.
A Hebei team containing former Barcelona star Javier Mascherano lost 3-2 at home to mid-table Henan Jianye at the weekend and had a player sent off for the fourth time in all competitions this year.
Coleman, who took Sunderland down into England’s third tier in his previous job, was appointed as a replacement for West Ham United-bound Manuel Pellegrini in June last year.
After a decent start, he came under intense pressure from disgruntled Hebei supporters.
They held aloft a banner during Saturday’s defeat that said in English: “Hello Mr. Coleman, please go home! You’re fired!!!” Above that in Chinese it read: “Coleman, your mum wants you home for dinner.”
The fans have now got their wish, the club announcing on the Twitter-like Weibo: “After friendly negotiation and agreement reached between the two parties, with immediate effect, Mr Chris Coleman will no longer serve as head coach of Hebei China Fortune Football Club.
“We sincerely thank Coleman for his hard work and contribution to the team and wish him all the best in his future work and life.”
