Burley sacked as Apollon coach

Former Scotland manager George Burley has been sacked by Cypriot team Apollon FC after only two games in charge of the Limassol team. He was unceremoniously given the boot after a victory in his first match in the Cypriot championship and losing away in the second game. In a brief statement on its website on Friday, Apollon said it had severed its co-operation with Burley and wished him "every success in both his personal and professional life". His vacant position was quickly taken up by former Apollon and Newcastle player Nicky Papavasiliou. Burley was a right-back for Ipswich and Scotland in the 1980s and after his playing career went on to manage both sides. However, the departure of the Scotsman after such a brief tenure will raise few eye brows in Cyprus where a manager's career is notoriously a short and treacherous one - with even modest clubs demanding instant success. Apollon FC have struggled while their fierce Limassol rivals AEL went on to win the league last year after a 44-year wait and made it to the UEFA Europa League groups stage this season.