Lokomotiv Moscow sack Syomin

Lokomotiv Moscow have sacked manager and favourite son Yuri Syomin from his third stint at the helm of the Russian club.

Syomin led Lokomotiv to a fifth-place finish in the Russian Premier League this term, though an 11-match unbeaten run to end their campaign masked a poor beginning by the Muscovite club.

Most disappointing was Lokomotiv’s failure to qualify for the Europa league, with the club shocked by Swiss second-division side Lausanne in the tournament play-offs.

“The board of directors has agreed to terminate his contract. We will now have to look for a new coach,” Lokomotiv President Olga Smorodskaya told Russian media.

Syomin still had three years to run on his contract, in what was his third stint as manager of the club for who he also played.

He previously managed from 1986 to 1990 and 1991 to 2005, during which he won two league titles and four Russian Cups. He also served briefly as president during 2007.

The 63-year-old has been touted as a possible replacement for Valery Gazzaev, who resigned from Ukrainian club Dynamo Kiev in October.

Syomin led Dynamo to a league title in 2009 before quitting to re-join Lokomotiv.