Mick McCarthy has been sacked as APOEL boss just two months and nine games into a miserable spell in Cyprus.
Former Cypriot international Savvas Poursaitidis has already been lined up as his replacement and is poised to be in the dugout on Saturday.
McCarthy - who was APOEL’s 13th manager in six years - shipped a fourth defeat in-a-row last night when losing 2-1 away to Doxas Katokopia.
Ireland midfielder Jack Byrne made his debut off the bench in that game having only signed for McCarthy from Shamrock Rovers on Monday.
An APOEL statement this morning read: “The company APOEL FOOTBALL (PUBLIC) LTD announces the end of its cooperation with coach Mick McCarthy.
“We wish Mr. McCarthy and his assistant Terry Connor good luck.”
Immediately after last night’s game, McCarthy said: "It’s becoming more and more difficult for me to come here and talk.
“A fourth consecutive defeat is not acceptable for APOEL.”
McCarthy signed a deal until 2022 but said last night of his immediate future: “It’s not my decision whether to stay or leave.”
Former Ireland boss McCarthy and assistant Terry Connor only joined Cypriot football’s most successful club in November but have endured a torrid time.
He failed to turn their fortunes around as APOEL are languishing 11th in the 14-team top flight.
Last night’s defeat to Doxas left them just four points off basement boys Enosis Paralimni and McCarthy had won just three of his nine games.
Former Hoops star Byrne will hope to win his first start for his new club when they host Ermis Aradippou - one point ahead of them in the table - on Saturday.
One of Byrne’s reasons for moving to Cyprus this week was the chance to join forces with McCarthy again, as he capped him first for Ireland.
There have been calls in Cyprus for APOEL chairman Prodromos Petrides to resign with ex-APOEL boss Giannis Ioannou claiming: “You are delivering chaos”.
