Tuesday 23 December 2014 13:42, UK
Zdenek Zeman has been sacked as Cagliari manager, the Serie A strugglers have announced.
Italian sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport claimed on Monday that Cagliari would make a coaching change during the two-week winter break and the Sardinian club have now acted.
A statement on the Cagliari's website read: "Cagliari Calcio announces that from now Zdenek Zeman leaves the technical guidance of the first team.
"The Company would like to thank the coach and all his staff for the work done in recent months with great professionalism and dedication."
Zeman was appointed in July and guided Cagliari to a 4-1 victory over Inter Milan in September, but the Rossoblu have won only one match in 12 subsequent fixtures.
A 3-1 defeat to Juventus last Thursday dropped Cagliari to 18th place in the league standings, three points adrift of safety, and the 67-year-old Zeman has paid the price for the wretched run of form.
Zeman has also coached the likes of Lazio, Roma, Fenerbahce and Red Star Belgrade during his 31-year managerial career.
La Gazzetta dello Sport has suggested that former Cagliari player Gianfranco Zola is the favourite to fill the vacant Stadio Sant'Elia hotseat, while Walter Zenga and Delio Rossi have also been touted.
