sportbible homepage
sportbible homepage
  • Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • World Cup
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Manchester United
    • Liverpool
    • Arsenal
    • Real Madrid
    • Barcelona
  • Formula 1
    • Red Bull
    • Ferrari
    • McLaren
    • Mercedes
    • Max Verstappen
    • Lewis Hamilton
    • Lando Norris
    • George Russell
    • Charles Leclerc
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • More Sport
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • NBA
    • NFL
    • Darts
    • Athletics
    • Rugby
    • Wrestling
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Archive
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Snapchat
TikTok
Threads
YouTube
Submit Your Content Here
  • LADbible
  • Tyla
  • GAMINGbible
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • FOODbible
  • UNILAD Tech
Forgotten Liverpool star wins league title in debut season as manager after overcoming masked ultras invasion

Home> Football

Updated 10:31 17 Apr 2023 GMT+1Published 10:12 17 Apr 2023 GMT+1

Forgotten Liverpool star wins league title in debut season as manager after overcoming masked ultras invasion

He's made an excellent start to his managerial career.

Rory O'Callaghan

Rory O'Callaghan

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover

Albert Riera has gone from being thrown out of his debut managerial unveiling by angry fans to being crowned champion in his first season as a head coach.

Former Liverpool winger Riera, who spent two seasons as Anfield between 2008 and 2010, hung up his boots in 2016 to move into coaching.

After two separate spell acting as assistant at Turkish club Galatasaray, Rieri took his first senior managerial role at Slovenian club Olimpija Ljubljana in July.

But there were chaotic scenes at the start of his tenure, with the former winger thrown out of his own unveiling by a group of ultras.

Advert

The supporters, many of whom were wearing balaclavas, confronted the club's sporting director Mladen Rudonja and Riera, forcing the former Liverpool man to leave the room.

According to Spanish outlet El Partidazo de COPE, the ultras were unhappy with the dismissal of former head coach Robert Prosinecki, who was sacked after a falling out with club president, Adam Delius.

Prosinecki was dismissed after just three months in the role and replaced with former Spain international Riera.

Olimpija crowned champions under Riera

Despite that shaky start to his time at the club, Riera quickly settled and has now guided Olimpija to the Slovenian league title in his first season at the club.

They clinched the title five rounds before the end of the season after defeating rivals Maribor 2-0 on Sunday.

"Proud is probably the word for this group of players. I could not have asked for more before the season," Riera said.

"This was a special game, the first opportunity to win the title. And against whom? Our perennial rivals."

Riera is just one of a number of former Liverpool players to have moved into management in recent seasons.

Riera's former Liverpool teammate and captain Steven Gerrard took charge of Rangers in 2018 and would later win the Scottish Premiership title before moving on to Aston Villa in 2021.

He was later sacked by Villa in October after lasting just 11 months in the role.

Meanwhile, several other teammates are currently in managerial positions including Xabi Alonso (Bayer Leverkusen), Daniel Agger (HB Koge) and Andrea Dossena (Renate).

Featured Image Credit: Alamy, COPE and Instagram/Olimpija Ljubljana

Topics: Liverpool, Football

Rory O'Callaghan
Rory O'Callaghan

Rory O'Callaghan is Editorial Lead at SPORTbible. He has previously worked for Sky Sports News, MailOnline and Reach covering football, cricket, boxing and MMA.

X

@rory_ocallaghan

Recommended reads

Dennis Taylor interview: Why snooker legend is playing in brand-new event... and how he saved someone's lifeGettyRanking the top 10 best golfers of all time as Nicklaus v Woods GOAT debate settledGetty ImagesDavid Munyua and Peter Wachiuri interview: 'We wish for major PDC players to come and visit Kenya'Getty / Instagram/@wachiuridartsMark Selby lifts lid on backstage talks over Crucible as landmark agreement reachedGetty

Advert

Choose your content:

an hour ago
2 hours ago
3 hours ago
4 hours ago
  • Panama/Reebok - Getty
    an hour ago

    Reebok announces much-anticipated return with three of the best kits at this summer's World Cup

    Reebok is making a full-scale comeback in 2026 – and we couldn't be happier about it.

    Football
  • Getty Images
    2 hours ago

    Former Liverpool player drops Arne Slot sack theory that nobody else has suggested yet

    A former Liverpool player has suggested a unique reason as to why the club should sack Arne Slot.

    Football
  • Getty Images
    3 hours ago

    Jamie Carragher highlights shocking Arsenal stat ahead of Premier League title showdown

    Jamie Carragher has revealed unique stat ahead of Arsenal and Manchester City Premier League showdown this weekend.

    Football
  • Getty Images
    4 hours ago

    Man Utd prepare extraordinary move for Leeds player after watching him dominate Old Trafford

    United haven't signed a player from Leeds since 2004.

    Football
  • QUIZ: Can you name the player who has scored most goals for each club?
  • Aaron Ramsdale names forgotten Premier League legend as his childhood hero
  • Premier League supercomputer predicts end of season table as Arsenal and Man City battle for the title
  • The Premier League title is back in Man City's hands after Arsenal drop points to Liverpool