Canberra FC has sacked its coach mid-season for the third time in five years, with Ray Junna the latest mentor to be shown the door at the club after its 3-2 loss to the Cooma Tigers on Sunday.
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Junna joined the Deakin club at the start of the year, also running the club’s youth academy program, a role he will continue in until the end of the season.
The coach said he was "really disappointed" with the decision, given his side is third on the ladder having lost three games – all in the past month when the club lost two "crucial" players to interstate clubs, and star striker Daniel Bennett spent time out with injury.
"We’ve been unlucky not to get the results but you can see the performances have still been reasonable enough … and you can see where it’s leading to," he said. "But anyway, [club management] can’t see that so that’s the way it goes.
"The club weren’t happy. They’re a very results-based club without having a really long-term view, that’s the way they operate and fair enough," he said.
"I knew exactly what I was walking into, but I thought I could try and change a few of the old ideas in there, where if you’re looking for a long-term project then there are going to be a few falls ... and you’ve just got to ride with them because in the long run you’re going to come out on top."
But the "ruthless" club management elected to go for a "short-term fix," a familiar story in the club's recent history.
Stan Dukic was sacked as head coach mid-season in 2010 when the club was undefeated, and club president Marko Vrkic took over as interim coach.
Two years later, Rob Graham was sacked after a shock 2-1 loss to league minnows the Monaro Panthers. Vrkic took over again for two weeks before handing over the reins to Miro Trninic, who did not continue after 2013.
Junna was given the news on Sunday night, but will continue his commitment with the youth academy in good faith.
"They said by all means we still want you to look after the academy, which I’m doing," he said. "I feel an obligation to all the parents who have committed to the academy, because it’s a user-pays system.
"I figure I should do the right thing and see them out for the rest of the season and they can make the decision after that whether they want to stay with the club or not.
"They left other clubs to come to Deakin… the last thing I want to do is leave them in the lurch."
Vrkic could not be contacted for comment. An announcement on who will take over as coach has not been made.
