Even though Greek football is in the middle of clubs’ strike, Panathinaikos have dismissed coach Fernando Santos.

The former Portugal boss took over the former Champions Cup runners-up this year after switching from local rivals AEK. He succeeded Sergio Markarian who had also lasted only six months after guiding Paraguay to the World Cup finals.

Panathinaikos,Champions League quarter finalists last season, are 13th in the Greek league but still afloat in both the Greek cup and the UEFA Cup in which they will face Fenerbahce of Turkey next week.

Former Yugoslavia midfielder Velimir Zejic has taken over as caretaker coach. The Greek league programme was suspended at the start of the month by the clubs in protest at the government’s failure to bail out the game after the collapse of a TV rights deal.
By Keir Radnedge