J. League first-division side Vissel Kobe has decided to sack manager Hideki Matsunaga after a lackluster start to the new season, club sources said Monday.
The dismissal of Matsunaga, 42, came just one month into the new season of the J. League, in which Kobe is languishing in 17th place in the 18-team top flight with five points from six games.
Matsunaga became Kobe manager in December on a one-year contract, taking over from Czech coach Ivan Hasek.