Tuesday 27th September 2011
Laudrup quits as Mallorca coach
Michael Laudrup has resigned as coach of La Liga side Real Mallorca.
Michael Laudrup has resigned as coach of Primera Division side Real Mallorca, indicating his relationship with club owner Lorenzo Serra Ferrer had become untenable.
Laudrup made the announcement at a press conference this morning - hours after the dismissal of his assistant Erik Larsen, who was sacked last night after criticising Serra Ferrer.
"This situation cannot continue like this. From now on, Mallorca will be whatever it is Serra Ferrer wants," Laudrup said.
The 47-year-old former Denmark international had previously expressed his frustration at not having been able to add quality to his squad during the transfer window, particularly after the departure of Jonathan de Guzman to Villarreal.
Larsen went a step too far for the Mallorca board, though, when he reportedly described Serra Ferrer to www.sporten.dk as a "bad person" and someone "unfit to lead the club".
Laudrup acknowledged last week managers being sacked was "a part of football" and his side had "no other option but to win on Sunday" at home to Sociedad - which they duly did, 2-1, to end a three-game losing streak in which they had failed to score a goal.
He revealed at the brief press conference, during which he did not take questions, he had been contemplating his future for a while but did not want to leave with the team in the lower reaches of the standings.
"Why go now that you've won a game and you're in the middle of the table?" he questioned. "I had long been thinking about this, but I could not do it with the team in a bad situation.
"Now I can quit being in the middle of the standings.
"You want to ask me, 'Why did you do it if there was only one person who didn't want you?' "Stay, and if things go badly they sack you and give you all the money from your contract.
"But I did not come here for the money. I came for the project; Mallorca were a club in need, that had to start from zero and I looked forward to working with many youth players and veterans."
The highly-decorated former Juventus, Barcelona and Real Madrid midfielder, who was five years ago voted Denmark's best player ever, sealed a return to Spanish football when he took up the Mallorca reins in July 2010.
His discontent at off-field matters has become all too apparent, though, prompting him to call time on his reign after just 14 months.
"It's yet another day we're here talking about things other than the games being played," he was quoted as saying at the press conference.
"Yesterday (Monday) one of my assistants was fired. Once again, it is very difficult - if not impossible - to find the peace required to work here.
"The team is hurt by this situation. What we need is calm and I cannot go home every night, angry, disappointed. I have a family."
Mallorca president Jaume Cladera responded by telling club website www.rcdmallorca.es: "We have spoken (to Laudrup) to resolve the situation in the best interests of the club.
"We are negotiating with his representative and looking at a variety of options to reach an agreement.
"As yet we haven't agreed on a financial package but we hope it won't take too long to do so. There has been no official resignation as of yet - he is just doing what he thinks is in the best interests of the club."
Laudrup started his managerial career as assistant to Denmark boss Morten Olsen in 2000 before taking over at the Brondby helm two years later. He guided the Danish club to a league and cup double in 2005.
A short but impressive stint followed with Getafe in 2007-08, during which he took the club to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup and the final of the Copa del Rey, and then an ill-fated seven-month spell with Spartak Moscow which ended in dismissal in April 2009.
