Former Sliema coach Mark Marlow is very disappointed to have been sacked by Sliema and replaced by Danilo Doncic of Serbia, the former Valletta FC and Sliema striker.

He became the first coach to lose his job this season among the Premier League clubs.

According to local website SportinMalta.com, Marlow said he understood that such a decision had to be taken by club president Steve Abela. But he never thought that it was his fault that the points were not coming Sliema’s way this season.

Marlow said he has a lot of respect towards president Abela, adding that the latter had always been close to him and the squad, even during training sessions. Marlow claimed that the several injuries in the squad was one major factor behind the loss of many points which have kept the side in the second half of the standings.

Marlow also claimed that Abela had told him that the problem was not the coach, “but something had to be done to rectify the situation.”

According to SportinMalta.com, Marlow’s contract will still be honoured by the Wanderers.

Doncic is the fifth coach to be appointed by Sliema in the last five years. Earlier it was Hugh Caruana, Ray ‘Zazu’ Farrugia, Stephen Azzopardi and Marlow.