Lee Gaskin June 16, 2012
Canberra FC president Marko Vrkic expects any coach of the most successful club in the ACT to hand in their resignation if they lose to the bottom-placed team in the league.
Speaking for the first time since Robbie Graham was axed in the wake of a 2-1 defeat to competition minnow Monaro Panthers, Vrkic said he was ''sorry'' but the board made the call in the best interests of the club.
Vrkic has managed the side in a caretaker capacity for the past two weeks, but has handed over the reins to director of coaching Miro Trninic for the rest of the campaign, starting with tomorrow's crucial clash with premier league leader Belconnen United at Deakin Stadium.
Canberra FC is fourth on the table and nine points behind the Blue Devils with 11 games remaining.
It is an unfamiliar position for a club which has claimed the league championship in 10 of the past 11 years.
Vrkic said there was nothing personal in Graham's sacking and the board would have taken the same ruthless approach irrespective of who the coach was.
''We can't lose a game against Monaro, it's what we had to do,'' Vrkic said.
''It's nothing personal, he [Graham] is a true gentleman.
''I'm so sorry for that decision but in the interests of the club, that's the direction that we go.''
Vrkic conceded everything would have to go right for Canberra FC to win a sixth straight league title but he hadn't given up hope.
Trninic has spent the past decade with Canberra, and last coached the club's premier league team in 2009.
He also won silverware during his thee years at the helm from 2003-05.
''We didn't want to bring someone in from the other side because it takes time to get to know the players,'' Vrkic said.
''We had pressure from supporters and sponsors as well.''