Stoychev sacked by Spartak

Dimitar Stoychev has become the latest coaching casualty in Bulgaria after being sacked by PFC Spartak Varna.

Mironov steps in
Miroslav Mironov, who is currently the coach of the Bulgarian Under-18 team, will replace Stoychev. The former PFC Slavia Sofia coach has brought in Rumen Dimov and Ilko Stanchev as his assistants, with the latter taking care of goalkeeper training. Stoychev's assistants Georgi Mirchev and Kostadin Kostadinov were also sacked, but all three will be offered new jobs with the club's youth academy.

'Not satisfied with results'
According to Spartak president Nikolay Ishkov, the decision to fire Stoychev was taken after the 2-0 home defeat against PFC Litex Lovech which left the club eleventh in the 14-team Bulgarian Premier League. "We changed the coach because we are not satisfied with the way the team plays and with the results," he said.

'Immediate goal'
"My immediate goal is to raise the morale of the team and help them show their potential," said Mironov. "Our place in the league table does not reflect the ability and potential that our team possesses." Stoychev said: "If the team's not doing well, it is natural that you cannot change 16 players, you have to change the coach."

Short reign
Previously Stoychev spent five years with PFC Naftex Burgas as youth-team coach, assistant coach and then head coach, before being sacked in the spring of 2002. He joined Spartak Varna, but his reign ultimately lasted only five months.