Russian owner fires coaching staff at Xamax, Ruud Gullit may become new head coach

The Russian owner of Xamax Neuchatel Bulat Chagaev has dismissed the team’s coaching staff with its head coach Francois Ciccolini and sports director Sonny Anderson after the club’s second successive defeat in the Swiss league, according to NZZ.

In the second round of the national championship’s top division Xamax lost 0:2 to Basel, a week after being beaten by Luzern 0:3.

Former head coach of Terek Grozny Ruud Gullit is now the main candidate to take the head coach position at Xamax, De Telegraaf reported. According to the newspaper, Chagaev will meet Gullit today to discuss the details of their co-operation.

It should be noted that Chagaev is also vice president of Terek and is thought to be the man behind Gullit’s arrival to Russia. The reports suggesting that the Dutchman may take charge of Xamax have appeared just after his dismissal from Terek in the middle of June.