Premier League Wolves SACK coach three days before new season
Premier League club Wolves have sacked their coach Julen Lopetegui just days before the new season kicks off.
Lopetegui said: “I wish Wolves and everybody at the club the very best of luck for the future, and thank them for the opportunity granted at the time to take charge of this wonderful club.”
The Midlands club held crunch talks with the Spaniard on Tuesday but he leaves the club after just nine months.
“Wolves and Julen Lopetegui have reached an agreement to part ways, ending the Spaniard’s nine-month reign as head coach at the club,” a club statement read on Tuesday night.
“Lopetegui joined Wolves in November and successfully guided the club to Premier League safety, however, the head coach and club acknowledged and accepted their differences of opinion on certain issues and agreed that an amicable end to his contract was the best solution for all parties.
“Talks have been ongoing in recent weeks, held with the utmost respect and cordiality, affording the club time and space to begin work on finding a successor, while also ensuring that Julen and his backroom staff could continue their planned preparation to ensure the playing squad would be in the best possible condition for the start of the Premier League season.”
Sporting director Matt Hobbs said: “While our ambition had been to move into the new season together, it is public knowledge that there were differences of opinion on some key topics, and it was agreed by all parties that it would be best to part ways ahead of the new campaign.”
Former Bournemouth boss Gary O’Neil is favourite to take the reins at Molineux.
Wolves begin their Premier League campaign away to Manchester United on Monday.