Andone: ‘Referees are deciding the results of matches, who will be Champion and which teams will be relegated’
AC OMONIA coach Ioan Andone has stepped down due to what the Romanian describes as problems with referees in the Cypriot league.
Andone submitted his resignation on Friday and was followed shortly after by Apollon Limassol’s German coach Bernd Stange, who also stepped down from his position.
The resignation of Andone, a 46-year-old former World Cup player, comes on the back of his side’s 2-1 Cyprus Cup defeat against AEK Larnaca FC this week – a result which has undermined his side’s chances of advancing in the competition.
A club announcement on behalf of Andone was issued in which the coach outlined the main reasons behind his resignation.
“I Ioan Andone, coach of Omonia, announce and certify my resignation because, as a person and as coach, I cannot conduct my work under the conditions of the Cypriot Championship”, read the announcement.
“The main factor behind this decision is unfortunately the refereeing which is, with it’s decisions, is ruling the results of games and is making its own course with regards to the championship, the champion and which teams will be relegated. Unfortunately, that is what I have observed during my stay in Cyprus and the biggest problem is that no measures are being taken to improve the situation from the relative authorities.”
He adds, “Unfortunately, this problem is not only Omonia’s but is a problem for other teams also and can determine the course of Cypriot sides in European games seeing as Cyprus is part of Europe.”
In the past, Andone, who was capped 55 times by his country, has also coached U Cluj, Sportul Studen?esc, Petrolul Ploie?ti, FC Farul Constan?a, FC Bra?ov and FC Bihor Oradea .
In 2002 he landed the coaching job at Dinamo Bucure?ti leading them to a league championship and three consecutive cup victories before taking over at Omonia at the beginning of 2005.
Omonia currently trail arch-rivals APOEL in the league by four points.
On December 17 last year, Omonia were controversially disallowed an injury time winner against APOEL whilst the two sides were locked at 2-2. The offside decision from the linesman sparked fierce protests from the players and the supporters of the club and the game was abandoned for almost 20 minutes before play resumed.
Apollon’s German coach Bernd Stange, who emphatically led Apollon to only their third title last season, stepped down after a string of poor results in the league.
Apollon are currently fifth in the league standings – 14 points behind league leaders APOEL FC.
Two months ago, Apollon’s Iraqi Chairman Freddie John Paul, who had brought Stange to the Limassol club, also stepped down.
Apollon defender Vassos Melanarkitis has temporarily taken the position as coach until a replacement is found.
The much travelled and controversial German coach, who also has an Australian passport, has in the past coached the former East German national side, FC Carl Zeiss Jena, Hertha Berlin, VfB Leipzig, Dnepr Dnepropetrovsk, CSKA Kiev and Perth Glory.
He then travelled to the Middle East where he took over the national teams of Oman and Iraq.
After the fall of the Berlin Wall and during his stint with Hertha Berlin, Stange was sacked after reports leaked that he was linked with the ‘Stasi’ (the East German secret police).
It was alleged that his tasks involved outlining the views of the East German government and finding out whether any of the players were breaking the law by making contact with West Germans.
