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De Canio leaves QPR "by mutual consent"

08/05/2008

Championship club Queens Park Rangers have announced the departure of first-team coach Luigi de Canio with immediate effect.

The Italian, who took over first-team affairs following the sacking of John Gregory last year, has left the club by mutual consent after talks with the club's joint owners Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore.

De Canio has been in charge since October 2007 and led the club to a 14th-place finish in the second tier of English football.

However, it has been stated previously the QPR board are keen to make a high-profile coaching appointment as part of their multi-year plan to regain Premier League status.

In announcing De Canio's departure, the club said they "would like to place on the record [their] thanks to Luigi for his contribution to QPR and wish him all the best for a successful future".

The statement from the club continued: "Mr De Canio also wanted to express his gratitude for the opportunity to manage Queens Park Rangers and also for the fantastic experience he had during his time in England."

No specific timeframe has been given to appoint a successor to De Canio, although it is thought the board would like to tie up a new coach in the near future in order to begin building towards next season.