Stephen Azzopardi has expressed his disappointment at Sliema Wanderers’ decision to relieve him of his duties as coach of the senior team in the wake of Saturday’s 2-1 shock defeat to Naxxar Lions but nonetheless pledged to keep serving the club in his role as technical director.
“My relationship with the club will continue as before,” Azzopardi, who last year took over the running of Sliema Wanderers’ technical sector on a full-time basis, told Times of Malta.
“I will keep working in my capacity as the club’s technical director but one of the areas I was overseeing is dictated by the team’s position in the league and the results.
“Different circumstances led to this and it’s difficult to analyse, technically, what has gone wrong.
“Nevertheless, I felt that we could still have sorted out the team’s problems but I spoke to the president (Keith Perry) and he told me that the club had taken this decision.
“In these situations, sometimes it’s better for everyone to make a change.”
Sliema Wanderers issued a short statement yesterday saying that Azzopardi was to relinquish his duties as coach with his assistant Ivan Woods taking charge of the first team on a temporary basis.
“The SWFC committee, together with coach Stephen Azzopardi have decided that, with immediate effect, Mr Azzopardi will focus more on a holistic review of the whole club’s technical structure, as club Technical Director,” the club’s statement said.
“Temporarily the position of the senior team coach will be taken over by the assistant coach.”
With Sliema enduring a disappointing league campaign, Azzopardi had been under pressure to turn the team’s fortunes around but last weekend’s upset to relegation strugglers Naxxar Lions further jeopardised his position as it extended the Blues’ losing run to five games in a row.
Azzopardi, who began his second spell in charge of Sliema in October 2014 after replacing Italian Alfonso Greco, said the coach always pays the price when the results are not good.
“In football, unfortunately I say, whatever happens, it’s always pointed in the direction of the coach,” the former Balzan, Birkirkara and Qormi mentor said.
“Sliema Wanderers acted like most of the clubs normally do in the present circumstances. They spoke to me but of course I didn’t like the club’s decision.”
Nursery praise
The criticism aimed at Azzopardi over Sliema’s lacklustre form in the Premier League contrasts sharply with the positive comments the experienced coach has received for his bold efforts to raise the level of the club’s youth nursery.
“Both are full-time jobs,” Azzopardi said of his erstwhile dual role as first-team coach and technical director.
“I was working for many hours but this is the only way you can have a full-time job in local football, especially if you are Maltese.
“The club officials, parents and players are happy with the results and overall improvement being achieved at nursery level but my work as first-team coach has been less appreciated.”
Sliema Wanderers, who are still in contention to win the FA Trophy as they meet St Andrew’s in the quarter-finals, are expected to discuss the situation with the players before drawing up a list of candidates for the vacant coaching post.
In the meantime, Woods, the former Sliema Wanderers and Malta talisman who is believed to be very popular among the players, will oversee the team’s preparations for their opening third-round match against Tarxien Rainbows tomorrow.
Asked if he expected to be consulted on the appointment of a new coach, Azzopardi replied: “I’m willing to help Ivan Woods if he needs my assistance but the other matters are not my concern.”