Khatibi sacked as Paykan head coach
Persian Gulf Pro League club Paykan sacked head coach Rasoul Khatibi after a poor run of results in the Iranian top-flight campaign.
The decision comes less than five months after the former Iranian international striker took charge of the Tehran-based club.
Paykan has managed only a single victory – a 1-0 away win against Esteghlal Khuzestan in mid-October – across 10 matches in the Iranian league this season, suffering four defeats, and is struggling in the bottom half of the table with eight points – two clear of the relegation zone.
Khatibi is the second coach in the Iranian league to be shown the exit door this season following Alireza Mansourian’s dismissal from the Foolad Khuzestan job.
“Khatibi’s efforts to introduce young talents to the Iranian Pro League are undeniable. We want to wish him success for the rest of his professional and personal life,” the club said in a statement on Tuesday, adding the new head coach will be announced soon.
Paykan has the youngest squad among the 16 teams in the Iranian league with an average age of 24.1 years, while it had to part ways with some key players in the summer transfer window – including goalkeeper Rashid Mazaheri, who joined Nassaji Mazandaran, as well as Iranian under-23 international center-back Saman Fallah, who left for Golgohar Sirjan.
The Persian Gulf Pro League will resume after the international break on Thursday, with Paykan playing away to Iralco on Friday.