After around one and a half years, Niko Kovac has apparently been fired from the French first division club AS Monaco. The successor to the former head coach of FC Bayern should already be determined.
According to consistent French media reports and information from the AFP news agency, AS Monaco ended after 529 days – one day before New Year’s Eve, of all things.
Although Kovac’s contract was dated until the summer of 2023 and he had an extremely respectable average of 1.95 points per game, the Croat had to resign in the principality.
Even almost 48 hours and a turn of the year later, the official confirmation of the club is still missing. The German media, including the “kicker”, have since confirmed the report from France.
AS Monaco officials dissatisfied
“L’Equipe” reported a few days ago that the AS officials saw too little development in Ligue 1’s sixth place (four points behind second place). Above all, club owner Dmitri Rybolovlev was therefore not satisfied with Kovac’s work.
In addition to the supposedly poor development of the star-studded squad, Kovac was also accused of no longer having the cabin under control.
Now the end of the 50-year-old, who led the club to third place in his first season and recently won the group in the Europa League, seems to be sealed faster than expected.
Harsh criticism of Niko Kovac from the team
There should have been well-known critics of Kovac’s system within the team. Above all, star striker Wissam Ben Yedder was against the Croatian, according to the sheet. One of the main points of criticism: the lack of offensive power.
With just 29 goals, the Monaco attack only ranks 7th in the league, although the storm is nominally top-class with Ben Yedder, Myron Boadu and Kevin Volland.
“L’Equipe” also writes about criticism from the cabin of Kovac’s “quasi-military” leadership style.
Successor for Niko Kovac already fixed?
With the early release, Kovac now suffered the same fate as FC Bayern. There he inherited Jupp Heynckes as the proud DFB Cup winner with Eintracht Frankfurt for the 2018/19 season. In his first year, Kovac won the double with the record champions.
After a disappointing start to the following season and the 1: 5 defeat at his former employer Frankfurt, he was dismissed in Munich at the beginning of November 2019 and replaced by his former assistant coach Hansi Flick.
Kovac’s successor in Monaco has apparently already been determined. It is the Belgian Philippe Clement. This is reported by “AFP” with reference to sources within the association.
The 47-year-old Clement has been the head coach of the Belgian champions and currently runner-up Club Brugge since 2019.
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