Lokomotiv Moscow’s manager, Markus Gisdol, has resigned in protest at Russia’s war on Ukraine. The 52-year-old German, who took the job last October, said he was “absolutely convinced” his decision was the right one.
Gisdol, who had previously spent his whole playing and coaching career in his homeland, most recently with Cologne, had been in charge for 12 matches.
He told Bild: “Being a football coach is the best job in the world. But I can’t do that job in a country whose leader has invaded another country in the middle of Europe. That does not go together with my values and I have therefore resigned as manager of Lokomotiv Moscow with immediate effect.
“I can’t stand at the training ground in Moscow and coach the players, ask them to be professional when a few kilometres away there are orders given that brings suffering to the people of a whole country. This is my personal decision and I am absolutely convinced it is the right one.”
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Gisdol’s move came the day after Fifa and Uefa acted in unison to suspend Russian teams from international football competition. It means Spartak Moscow, Russia’s one remaining club side in European competition, will no longer compete in the Europa League. Lokomotiv were also in the Europa League but finished bottom of their group.
Lokomotiv responded to Gisdol’s remarks by saying he had been sacked. “Markus Gisdol was dismissed from the post of head coach of FC Lokomotiv,” the club said in a tweet. “Marvin Compper will prepare the team for the upcoming games. The club and the team are working as usual and are concentrating on achieving the maximum result in the upcoming matches.”
Compper, a 36-year-old former centre-back, is also German.
