Wotte stunned after sacking

Dutchman left speechless after takeover group show him the door

By Robin Hackett   Last updated: 10th July 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Wotte stunned after sacking

Wotte: Shock

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Mark Wotte says he was stunned to be dismissed as Southampton boss just one week into his new contract.

The Dutchman was first appointed as head coach in January following the departure of Jan Pootvliet and, although he failed to save the club from relegation, he was handed a 12-month rolling deal at the problem-hit club this month.

However, after Markus Liebherr completed a takeover on Wednesday, the former Netherlands Under-21 coach was relieved of his duties.

In a statement on the club's official website, Southampton said Wotte was dismissed as 'part of a wider strategic plan being implemented to improve all aspects of the club's operations, both on and off the field'.

Yet the 48-year-old, who had coached in Holland, Egypt and Qatar prior to joining The Saints, feels the decision was inexplicable.

"I am experienced in football and know everything is possible, but I must say for a while I was speechless," he told the Daily Echo.

"I asked their reason and the only reason they could come up with was they wanted a clean sweep and start - and I said, 'Are you going to sack every player and employee in this club?'"