Tudor era begins for Hajduk Split

29 April 2013 19:47

Croatian First Division side Hajduk Split on Monday sacked coach Miso Krsticevic because of a run of poor results and replaced him with former international defender Igor Tudor.

Tudor will be Hajduk's 28th coach since 2000, with none of his predecessors completing two full campaigns.

"We estimated that at this moment our qualification for Europe was at risk ... and opted for changes," the club's president Marin Brbic said.

Brbic's choice is a gamble as it is the first coaching post for the Split-born Tudor, who was forced to end his playing career at the age of 30 because of a recurring ankle injury.

The 35-year-old former Hajduk and Juventus defender - capped 55 times - was appointed until the end of the season, but Brbic said there is a possibility that his spell in charge will be extended, he added.

Krsticevic, who had been in charge since March 2012, was sacked after Sunday's 2-1 home defeat to Rijeka which leaves them in fourth place.

Hajduk Split, founded 102 years ago, have won 18 league titles, six since Croatia proclaimed independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991 but the last was in 2005.

The club has rarely created much of a ripple in European club competition since independence reaching the Champions League quarter-final in 1995 their best showing.

Prior to independence they had reached the last eight twice in what was then the European Cup and reached both the semi-finals of the now defunct Cup Winners Cup and the UEFA Cup, now the Europa League.

Source: AFP