MADRID, June 28 (Reuters) - Real Madrid sacked coach Fabio Capello on Thursday, 11 days after he led them to their first Primera Liga title in four years.
The 61-year-old Italian, who also won the league title with Real in the 1996-97 season during his first spell at the club, had two years left to run on his contract.
'We have taken the decision not to continue with Fabio Capello next season,' said Real Madrid sporting director Predrag Mijatovic.
'It was a difficult decision, but it was a unanimous decision based on an exhaustive report I made to the board.
'We don't think Fabio Capello is the right person to lead Real Madrid into the future given what we want this club to achieve.'
'Now we have time to think over who will be the next coach of the club.'
'I haven't managed to talk it over with him personally because he is on holiday at the moment, but I did manage to speak to his son who is also his lawyer.'
Capello was brought in by newly elected club president Ramon Calderon last July and charged with the task of reining in the players, clearing out the dead wood and getting the club back to winning ways.
The Italian, who has won a league title with every club he has managed, delivered in all areas.
He restored team discipline, and ended the club's worst run of form in over 50 years by leading them to the league title.
But although the team got back on the trophy trail, they did not play with the sort of open, attacking style demanded by the club and its fans.
The local media subjected Capello to a constant barrage of criticism for what they saw as conservative tactics, while fans called for his resignation after the team exited the Champions League and the King's Cup earlier in the season.
Although many commentators gave him the benefit of the doubt over his decision to offload Ronaldo, he came under fire from all quarters for sidelining David Beckham after the midfielder's announcement that he would be leaving the club.
It was only during the team's thrilling run-in to the end of the season that the criticism from the media relented.
The decision to oust Capello is confirmation of the chronic instability at a club which has devoured seven coaches in the space of just four years.
Getafe coach Bernd Schuster, a former player at Real, is the favourite to replace him.