Rock-bottom Espanyol sack Pochettino

Bottom of the Spanish football league after 13 games, Espanyol have fired both their Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino and the club's director of sports, the Barcelona based club said on Monday. "Pochettino will stop being coach of our first team as of tonight [Monday], after we agreed terms this afternoon to terminate the contract we had," the Catalan club said. Director of Sports Ramon Planes has also been sacked by Espanyol. Pochettino had been in the job for three seasons, but with just two wins after 13 games so far, newly elected club president Joan Collet decided to shake things up. National sports daily Marca suggested Monday that Espanyol were in negotiations with Mexican coach Javier Aguirre, who has had previous spells in Spain with Atletico Madrid and Real Zaragoza. Espanyol have just nine points so far, but there are five clubs within just three points of them in what looks set to be a relegation dogfight.