Ricardo Duarte announced earlier that he will not continue in Oulu next season. Now Duarte has been relieved of his duties due to bad games.
The head coach Ricardo Duarte the responsibilities are transferred to the assistant coaches Rauno Ojanen and JP Savolainen on the shoulders.
AC Oulu has released head coach Duarte from all duties in the club’s operations. Duarte’s era at the helm of the navy lasted almost two years. Earlier last week, AC Oulu said that the club and the coach have come to the decision that the club will not use the option in Duarte’s contract for the 2024 season.
After a season that progressed well, the Oulu team’s performances have not gone as hoped recently. Two defeats within a week to Ilves and at the same time falling in the semifinals of the Finnish Cup finally caused the club to make immediate changes in terms of coaching.
AC Oulu’s director of sports Markus Heikkinen according to the team’s results and game appearance have been underwhelming recently.
– Out of the last six matches, four losses in the standings against teams worse than us, so it was time to make a change, says Heikkinen.
According to Heikkinen, the club will inform about next season’s coach later.
Rauno Ojanen and JP Savolainen share the duties of head coach for the rest of the season. Jani Luukkonen and Janne Romo continue in their duties and Mikko Isokangas also continues as a member of the coaching team of the representative team.
AC Oulu will meet HJK in Oulu next Sunday.