Ananova:

The manager of a Romanian football team on the verge of promotion was sacked - by text message.

Lucian Popa, coach of third division side ASA Targu Mures, was expecting congratulations from the club president.

But when he opened the message, he found that he had been fired.

The text said: "As of tomorrow we are giving up on you. Your attitude has been bothering us, and it would be better if we went our separate ways."

Popa said he would have least have expected a phone call: "Sending a text message was just sheer cowardice.

"I admit Lacatusu and I have had our differences in the past, but I think I at least deserved a phone call," he told Gazeta Sporturilor.