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In a statement posted on Xanthi s website in the early hours of Tuesday morning, the club confirmed it had ended its cooperation with the 47-year-old coach with immediate effect.
Demonstrating the utter ruthlessness of European football, the decision comes despite Popovic guiding the Akrítes to a 2-1 win over OF Ierapetra - a third win in the past four games - on the weekend. They are due to play Panachaiki next Sunday.
Xanthi currently sit fifth on the table of Greece s second tier but are just four points behind league leaders Ergotelis and have a game in hand over the second, third and fourth-placed teams.
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If the Akrites (Frontiersmen) are successful it will be in no small part due to a nine-strong ensemble of Australian pioneers.
Make that ten if you count - and you surely must - Sydney-based owner Bill Papas, a football-crazy entrepreneur who aims to mould the club into a permanent pipeline for Australian talent.
Foremost among coach Tony Popovic’s cast is Socceroos defender Matthew Jurman, the 31-year-old stopper whose maiden foray into the bear-pit of European club football will be deemed more miss than hit if Xanthi doesn’t dominate Super League 2.
Relegated from the top division after points were stripped as a consequence of ownership irregularities, a multi-cultural collective of players are working to right perceived wrongs with performances on the field.