A few days ago, some media reported Niko Kovac’s dismissal. There has not yet been an official confirmation. That changed on New Years Eve.
AS Monaco prematurely sacked Niko Kovac. The club announced this on New Year’s. The Croatian’s contract was actually still valid until 2023. Various French media had previously reported about the dismissal.
The decision comes as a surprise mainly because Kovac and Monaco had won three of the last four games. The only defeat was against Paris Saint-Germain.
A “performance manager” or a headwind from the team?
The association did not provide any information about the background. The “L’Équipe” reported that Kovac had lost the dressing room and that several players had been against the 50-year-old. According to a report, however, a power struggle should have been the cause.
Sports director Paul Mitchell provided Kovac with a “performance manager” who was supposed to take care of training control. After a month, Kovac said that the new colleague’s plans would not fit the Monegasque calendar with several competitions. When the Croat took over the scepter again, Mitchell was not pleased. The result was Kovac’s dismissal.
The club has not yet named a successor. Philippe Clement from Club Bruges is under discussion, according to the French media. In the interim, amateur trainer Stéphane Nado will take over the management of the team.
Kovac has been under contract with Monaco since July 2020, taking third place in the league behind champions Lille and top club Paris Saint-Germain in the first year. He hands the team over in sixth place in Ligue 1.
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