Laudrup leaves job as Mallorca Head Coach after assistant sacked
Michael Laudrup has announced that he has left his job as Head Coach of Real Mallorca after his assistant Erik Larsen was sacked for comments made about club Sporting Director Llorenç Serra Ferrer. The club have announced a deal ‘in principal’ with Laudrup to the termination of his contract, thought to be just less than half of his remaining deal.
The row broke out after assistant coach Erik Larsen made negative comments about Serra Ferrer in the Danish press calling the Spaniard a ‘bad man’. Larsen spoke of how Serra Ferrer ‘treats people at the club’, but it was reported in Spanish press that the comments came after Serra Ferrer refused to give Larsen a bonus following the transfer of Jonathan de Guzmán.
Reports suggest that, after Larsen prepared a report on de Guzmán, he felt he should be given a bonus payment with regards to his successful €8 million transfer to Villarreal.
On Monday 26th September, the club announced the dismissal of Erik Larsen for the comments he made. Larsen refused to talk to the club, however, who couldn’t get in touch with him. They then also tried, in vain, to contact Laudrup who also dodged communication by phone, text and email. Not for the first time either as Laudrup was unreachable for six weeks of the summer break.
President Jaume Cladera appeared before the media on Monday to announce the dismissal of Larsen for gross misconduct after ‘statements appearing in the EFE news agency the Board thought to be very serious’.
Cladera went on to say, ‘it is obvious that an institution such as RCD Mallorca can not ignore statements of this magnitude. No one expected a statement of this nature from Erik Larsen. The decision by the Board of Directors was done to defend the interests of the institution.’
Laudrup then called a press conference for Tuesday after the morning training session. He did not resign, nor did he talk about Larsen’s dismissal, but did take one final swipe at Serra Ferrer by saying he’ll ‘do what he wants’. He revealed that he called Pedro Terrasa, Chief Executive of Real Mallorca, ‘to find a solution’. In short, Laudrup wanted to seek mutual termination and receive a pay-off rather than flat out resign.
Cladera revealed that ‘he called [the club] to say that for the sake of the club it was best to find a solution for the rescinding of his contract and to negotiate with his agent. It is not a resignation, it is what he has told us he thinks is best for the good of the club.’
The deal will see Laudrup paid around €300,000 of the €700,000 remaining on his contract.
The names of Louis van Gaal and Joaquín Caparrós have been thrown into the ring but Mallorca legend Luis Aragonés is favourite to get the job. The 73-year-old has been out of work since leaving Turkish giants Fenerbahçe in 2009 and is reported as being receptive to the idea of managing Mallorca for a third time.
The club hope to have a replacement arranged within 72 hours whilst Miguel Àngel Nadal will step in as Head Coach for the game against Osasuna at the weekend.