Ranko Popovic (right) — who was then Montenegro coach — watches his players during their group B match against Russia 17 January 2008 in the preliminary round of the Euro2008 Handball Championships in Drammen. — AFP pic

TOKYO, June 9 — League side Cerezo Osaka said today they had fired manager Ranko Popovic due to the club’s poor results.

The 46-year-old Serb, who holds an Austrian passport, took the helm of the Osaka club in March at the start of the season after coaching other J-League outfits Oita Trinita, Machida Zelvia and FC Tokyo since 2009.

But Cerezo, the current team of Uruguay striker Diego Forlan, have since struggled with four wins, five losses and four draws, despite acquiring Forlan ahead of the World Cup in Brazil, to stand 13th in Japan’s top flight.

The team bowed out of the AFC Asian Champions League in the last-16 round. — AFP