Reports: Chechen owners fire Neuchatel coaches

Published Jul. 24, 2011 5:08 p.m. ET

foxsports

Swiss media reports say the Chechen owners of Neuchatel Xamax have fired sporting director Sonny Anderson and his coaching staff after the team's second straight defeat this season.

Swiss media say club president Andrei Rudakov told the players the coaches had been fired minutes after Neuchatel's 2-0 loss at defending champion FC Basel.

Anderson is reported on the website of ''20 Minutes'' as saying ''it's the main shareholder who decides, there's nothing to say.''

Anderson, a former Brazil and Barcelona forward, was appointed after Chechen businessman Bulat Chagaev took over Neuchatel in May.

Chagaev is vice president of Russian club Terek Grozny, which fired Netherlands playing great Ruud Gullit as coach last month.