Olympiakos fire coach Ketsbaia

Greek champions Olympiakos announced on Tuesday that they have fired Georgian coach Temuri Ketsbaia.

“Olympiakos have parted company with head coach Temuri Ketsbaia by mutual agreement,” an announcement by the club said.

The statement added that scout Boidar Bandovic will take over the coaching post temporarily until a permanent replacement for Ketsbaia is appointed.

Bandovic will be assisted by Andreas Niniadis, another scout.

The firing of Ketsbaia comes on the eve of the club’s Champions League Group H home match with Dutch champions AZ Alkmaar.

Olympiakos officials and supporters were angered by the team’s latest showing, a surprise 0-0 draw at home to newly-promoted Kavala on Sunday, following a 5-0 drubbing in a friendly against Ergotelis.

They are currently sixth in the Greek Super League after two matches.

Ketsbaia, 41, a former Newcastle United midfielder, led Olympiakos to the group stages of the Champions League after victories over Slovan Bratislava and Sheriff Tiraspol in the preliminary rounds.

Olympiakos president Socrates Kokkalis took a gamble in May by hiring the inexperienced Ketsbaia, who had led Cypriot club Anorthosis Famagusta to the Champions League groups stage last season, knocking out Olympiakos in the process.

Ketsbaia joined Anorthosis in 2002. It was his first coaching position.

As a player, besides Newcastle United, he also played for Anorthosis, Dinamo Sukhumi, Dinamo Tbilisi, AEK Athens, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Dundee.