Not the started he would’ve been hoping for
Former Liverpool player Albert Riera was forced out of his first press conference as Olimpija Ljubljana manager by the club’s ultras.
The Spaniard, who made 55 Premier League appearances, registering four goals and six assists, recently left his role as Galatasaray’s assistant manager to take up his first position as a first-team boss with the Slovenian club.
However, the former defender didn’t quite receive the welcome he would’ve been hoping for. During his first press conference, a number of Olimpija’s ultras, some wearing masks, gatecrashed his official unveiling and demanded him to leave.
😡 ¡¡¡LAMENTABLE!!!
😱 Los ultras del Olimpija Ljubiljana expulsan a Albert Riera en su presentación como nuevo entrenador del club
📻 #PartidazoCOPE pic.twitter.com/hbpNG2cO5Q
— El Partidazo de COPE (@partidazocope) July 4, 2022
While the 40-year-old did his best to reason with the fans, he eventually walked out of the room when some of the ultras began to raise their voice at him.
Olimpija ‘on the brink’ of financial ruin
Olimpija fans are incredibly frustrated with the way the club is being operated, with their discontent stemming from their frustrations with club owner Adam Delius and director Igor Barisic.
According to reports, the club is on the brink of financial ruin and some of Olimpija’s players haven’t received their salaries in five months.
Former manager Robert Prosinecki and sporting director Mladen Rudonja left the Slovenian club earlier this month after a dispute with Delius about transfers.
Prosinecki accused of cancelling training sessions at short notice
Olimpija also accused Prosinecki and his coaching staff of staying up late drinking and playing cards until the early hours, with training sessions cancelled at short notice.
Albert Riera, who Udinese once sacked as a player for skipping a game to play cards, lined up to replace Robert Prosinecki, who has just been sacked by Olimpija for blowing off training sessions to play cards.
You couldn’t make it up. https://t.co/GUt4HhHGB3
— Richard Wilson (@HYFPRW) July 3, 2022
The fans were against Prosinecki’s dismissal from the club, and were even more annoyed when Riera was announced as his replacement days later.
Related links:
- Inter Milan ultras release ominous statement ahead of Romelu Lukaku return
- PSG ultras demand resignation of club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi
- The Carpathian Brigade: Who are Hungary’s black-shirted ultras?
