It was a bolt out of the blue to change the news cycle following the Lions disappointing draws as the Lion City Sailors unleashed a shocker when it announced the departure of head coach Risotto Vidakovic in the evening of 19 June.
A six-paragraph statement was posted on its website, saying that the club and Vidakovic had reached a mutual agreement to part ways.
“Lion City Sailors have reached a mutual agreement with Risto Vidaković to go our separate ways,” the statement said.
“The Sailors wish him the best in his future endeavours.”
See statement below.
Vidakovic, a former Melaka United coach in the Malaysia Super League barely lasted six months on the job.
He was unveiled as head coach of the Sailors on 20 December 2022.
When he was announced as the man tasked to lead the Sailors forward following a disappointing 2022 season, club chairman Forrest Li had said that Vidakovic was the “right man to take the club forward”.
But with the Sailors currently in third spot behind both Albirex Niigata and Tampines Rovers, it appears that he may not have been the right man after all.
During his term, he led the Sailors to nine wins and three draws, with the most memorable being the 3-2 win over defending champions Albirex Niigata.
The Sailors added that the search for “a new Head Coach to take the club forward has already started”, and announcements will be made when the process is completed.
In the meantime, Daan van Oudheusden and Pablo Muñiz will take interim charge of the first team, starting with the 25 June SPL fixture against Hougang United.
“It has been a pleasure working with Risto,” said Technical Director, Luka Lalić.
“While it is unfortunate that we are moving in different directions, we are grateful for his commitment to the team from the moment he walked into Mattar Road,” he said.
MAIN PHOTO: LION CITY SAILORS