Protassov takes over Olympiakos coaching job
First Published: Feb 07, 2003Defending Greek first division champions Olympiakos unexpectedly fired coach Srecko Katanec and hired former Ukrainian star Oleg Protassov, their third coach this season.
The club, which is currently second in the standings behind Panathinaikos midway through the season, said in an announcement Friday that they fired Katanec because of the "negative mood" he had created in the team.
The former Slovenian national team coach had been hired last November and had signed a contract till June 2005.
Katanec, 39, had replaced Yiannis Kollias who had temporarily taken over the job after Takis Lemonis was fired in October following a disappointing showing by Olympiakos in the Champions League.
Protassov played with Olympiakos in the late 1980s and early 1990s after arriving from a distinguished career in the Ukraine.
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