Slovakia coaches Griga, Hipp sacked

Slovakia coaches Stanislav Griga and Michal Hipp have been sacked after a series of poor results in the World Cup qualifying campaign, the Slovak Football Association said today.

“Results are the main reason behind the dismissal. Executive committee members didn’t see any chance of improvement or remedy,” Jan Kovacik, the association’s head, told reporters.

Jan Kozak, coaching Slovak top-flight side MFK Kosice, is the odds-on favourite for the job, he added.

Griga and Hipp, both former players, took charge in May 2012, but Slovakia have failed to shine under their guidance, having won only two of six games in Group G of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup.

Their last match saw a 1-1 draw in Liechtenstein last Friday which all but ended Slovakia’s hopes of qualifying directly for Brazil as they trail group leaders Bosnia and Herzegovina by seven points with four games to play.