Former West Ham and Chelsea striker Carlton Cole has been sacked by Indonesia’s Persib while retaining their Ghanaian midfielder Michael Essien in a massive shake-up at the top-flight club after just six months at the club.
The Bandung based club fired the former England attacker on Tuesday, slamming his performances as ''very bad'' as he has failed score since arriving at the club in March.
Now the club has confirmed the Ghanasoccernet.com exclusive report by sacking Cole saying he will be replaced for the second stage of the season, which starts on Saturday.
“It’s the management’s decision to dismiss him, we will have a new player in the second round of the season,” Persib manager Umuh Muchtar told AFP.
“He plays very badly compared to the other (foreign players) who have joined Persib. He had the worst performance,” Muchtar added.
Cole joined Persib two weeks after his former Chelsea team-mate Michael Essien in what was a buying spree for the Bandung-based club.
Cole signed a one-year contract for an undisclosed sum with Persib, owned by Indonesian businessman Erick Thohir – who is also president of Italian giants Inter Milan.
Eighteen teams play in the new Liga 1, which was formed after a row between Indonesia’s sports ministry and football association prompted the country’s suspension by FIFA, and left it without a soccer competition for two years.