Former Aston Villa manager John Gregory has quit as boss of Israeli Premier League side Ashdod.
Gregory was in the first year of a three-year contract but has decided to walk away after finishing 13th in the 16-team league and facing a play-off to avoid relegation.?
There had been talk that former coach Yossi Mizrahi is set to return next season and Gregory admitted the rumours had hastened his departure. Assistant Itzik Ovadia is also leaving.
Gregory said: 'The speculation around a new coach coming made us think about it and if we are not going to be here next year we may as well go now. It wasn't an easy decision to make but we both decided it was in the best interests of everybody.'
Ashdod chairman Jacky Ben Zaken refused to blame Gregory for the club's plight.
He said: 'It was a great privilege to have John Gregory at our club. Our situation is not good and I have told the players that if I could I would replace all of them because the fault is not with the coaching staff.'
?Gregory of Nazareth: once rated one of England's top young coaches, ex-Aston Villa boss John now plies his trade in Israel Watch all the Premier League goals every week on our brilliant video playerPREMIER LEAGUE NEW KIT SPECIAL: Strips your team will wear in 2011-12 All the latest Aston Villa news, features and opinion
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Source: Daily Mail
Source: Daily Mail